Devil's Advocate
by Foxkong
Summary: When Fortuna is left alone it becomes occupied by a puppet government known as the DA. When they create their own merc teams to combat rebel insurgents we take a trip into their mind as they battle for survival among Lylat's most harsh planet.
1. Prologue

**Devil's Advocate**

_If God told me to kill_

_Then it would become my will_

_To destroy all that stand in my way_

_So finally I could have that perfect day_

_ Nightmare Man_

Prologue

There is a point in every man's or woman's life that they look back and try to establish what they have accomplished. Have they done all the things they wanted? Is their life right now perfect? If they could go back and change one thing what would it be? The list goes on and on but not for me. Some highly recognized individuals say that we all have something called a mid life crisis. This is suppose to be one of the most stressful periods of time where a male or female try to figure out what exactly is happening and maybe just maybe make it past these highly difficult event. I laugh when I hear this type of talk because I know their MLC's are nothing compared to mine. The most recent study of course had come up with some shocking results. According to most recent studies there are some children out there who have had MLC's early on and it has caused tremendous psychiatric damage. Most people in the intellectual community put them down but I did not because I knew it was true. All though there are a few children out there who probably have gone through this I know it must be hard. Maybe that will explain what happens to people like me. The events that change our lives forever, people just cannot seem to understand. I was right there, I showed the signs yet this just walked on by and did not even pay attention. They could have saved me instead they let the nightmare become reality.

"Tanya are you all right, you seem a little tense?" Sakura asked from across the room.

I looked over and saw the girl sitting on her cotton sheeted bed. She was so innocent more like a child if you asked me. It was hard to picture her as the cold hearted assassin I saw on the battlefield. But here she was sitting on her belly her legs high up in the air calmly swaying back and fourth her head sitting in her hands. Her purple eyes were looking over me; studying me maybe, I decided to give her the benefit of the doubt.

"I'm fine," I replied softly all though me voice sounds very masculine compared to hers.

She did one of the high pitched sighs as she rolled on to her back and sat up for a second. She obviously was not satisfied with my answer, well to bad for her she was not going to get anything else out of me. I looked her over once more she reminded me of one of those Cornerian hares; they just had a look of innocence on their faces. Sakura or Butterfly Sakura was around twenty four; I was her senior in terms of age and rank. All though she never called me by my proper title which was a bit annoying but hey I cannot ask for everything. I believe she is a husky all though I was not hundred percent sure. Her cherry red fur really brightened up the room; it seemed so ironic that in a place full of darkness one of us could add a little colour. Sakura pouted as she played with her bright pink ponytail; I smiled lightly, she was annoyed with my lack on answers. Her purple eyes were quite deep a man or a woman could get lost in them. Now she was wearing some casual clothes right now, all though I always stayed in uniform she liked to experiment with her fashion, a waste of time if you ask me. Currently her attire consisted of a bright red tank top with some kind of emblem in the middle; it looked like a little yellow face winking. She once told me they were called smileys or something ridiculous like that. Anyway she wore some tight blue jeans and to top it all off some light pieced sandals. Her right arm had a black glove and wrist cover over that fur which contained one of her weapons. Over all I hated the ensemble, I mean how could you fight in it? The light clicking I keep hearing was the annoying noise sound of her blowing up bubbles and then popping them with her tongue. That excessive sound would drive someone to drink I think, yet for some reason I always put up with it.

"You always say that come on what is really wrong?" the Butterfly asked softly as she prompted her pillow a bit and positioned herself carefully.

I sighed she could keep this up for hours you know it really annoyed me to no ends but I had to put up with it for the good of the team.

"Well…," I started to speak all though my other furry little friend cut me off.

"If she doesn't want to speak you does not have too comrade," Violet said from across the room. We both looked over at our other comrade; she sat there so carefully like one of those porcelain dolls cleaning her rifle. That's all she seemed to do really clean her rifle oh and watch the stars she really enjoyed that for some reason.

"Violet you ruin all the fun silly," the husky said coolly as she kneeled on the mattress. A smile ran across her face as she picked up her pink pillow and threw it across the room.

I knew that lupine would not put down here rifle so she let the projectile come to her and gave it a swift kick back. Her face showed no signs of emotion as it hit Sakura in the face and she fell backwards. Neither of us laughed actually but still the little brat got what she deserved. Finally giving up the husky got up and grabbed her key card sitting on a birch table beside her and proceeded to go outside. She gave us both one more fiery look and then the door closed behind her with a light hum.

"Do not mind her comrade she gets like that sometimes," I said swiftly as I moved to my own bed.

"I did not Major," Violet said in a cool tone as she returned her attention back to her rifle. Now there is someone I can depend on, well at least she calls me by my rank. Violet was around twenty four so the middle aged member of our team. She was by far the most complex, she barely spoke but she always watched carefully as if she took everything in. That's why her fascination with the stars was something that I found interesting. What did she see in them, they were just specks of light to me, but to her they most be magical or something.

Violet was not her real name, I think someone gave it to her probably because of her long violet hair. She was a female lupine with quite the attitude, she rarely spoke but when she did we both listened. She had rose coloured fur that was quite vibrant all though nothing compared to the Butterfly's. Her hazel eyes often wandered a noticed this because she cleaned her rifle without even looking it had become a mental exercise to her I guess. Something that was automatic though it must be if she became such a great shot. She wore just a simple black shirt and matching pants, nothing fancy just some light weight clothes. Violet did not wear any shoes though, only when we were working, I think she likes the feel of grass under her feet. Her USMC DMR was shined and ready to go as she put it back together, a puzzle to anyone except her. Finally as she slipped the metal sight back on with the red laser tip and got up and placed the rifle back in its familiar place beside her cot. She sat back down on the wooden chair and proceeded to complete the same process with her Desert Eagle. This time I decided not to watch instead I would clean up the base a little bit.

We lived in an underground bunker a relic of one of the Androtic Wars. Our employers has found a great number of them and fixed them so they could be used as living quarters and security centers. The planet of Fortuna was filled with wild life and lush greenery. The planet had a variety of trees, bushes, wildlife, and geographic elements. I personally thought it was dull with no real cities around except in certain populated area which were rather spread out. In the exact centre of the Gralo Forest you would find our base. The forest was filled with great white oak, birches and pines. A small circle in the middle had no trees and deep under the cuckoo grass you wound find a metal hatch. An eight story drop later you would land on the bottom. The concrete hallway was shaped like a cylinder and lead to a metal door. The long entrance had two automated machine guns to kill intruders that were not registered. If they some how made it to the main hub the base would self destruct automatically.

Anyway with your keycard in hand one could enter the main hub and there really was not much to offer someone. The main hub was a large hexagon shaped room which combined the aspects of bigger bases in one room. On the far wall was a large screen that was used to keep contact with our employers. It also records and sends messages and we could also open the channels if we found it necessary. There was a small kitchen near one side with the usual appliances. A stove, fridge, tables and chairs, you know the usual. We could wash our clothes in here since we had a washer and dryer but we barely used it anyway. Luckily we had a water purification system so we could take local water from the river and make it hot if we wish. Lighting was pretty good all though at times it got pretty dark but I did not mind I was use to it anyways. Our living quarters consisted of a few cots with our valuables on a few tables. We really did not have that much especially me, just my weapon that's all.

My swept up the dust with ease and proceeded to put it on a waist basket. I pushed the hair out of my right eye, all though it would not make a difference. As the dirt and grime entered the pail, I familiar tone filled my ears. I turned around to see the screen on the wall light up and an image started to appear. I looked at Violet and with a light nod of my head she placed her firearm in her holster and went outside to grab Sakura. I walked on over and entered the five digit code and our account opened.

Five shadows sat around a elm table with the curtains in the background pulled to the max there was barely any light coming in. One could say it was dirty ploy that we could not see the faces of our employers but they could see us. Lylat was a huge system the Cornerians could not handle everyone affairs. Fortuna was controlled by a puppet government known as the DA. It was a dictatorship to say the least and they had control of the planets resources and economy. There was illegal actions going on but the politicians did hide what they did and that is why Cornerian has not sent forces in. We knew that some of the elite and lords from before had called for help but their pleas were ignored. All though we controlled most of the aspects of the planet some people were not going to let this happen. Small patches of rebels were located throughout the planet and our job was usually to expunge any threat to the DA.

I think the one who sat in the middle was the head honcho he usually spoke first.

"Major Mikilovitch, excellent work on the last operation. The Earl of Souke will think twice next time he tries to fund rebel expeditions. Now on to current events, as you know some of the company's in the west have planned a coup de etat. Our sources have figured out who the head of this very dangerous snake is," The main screen split as a small window came up and a figure formed.

"This is Lord Darius Arizone of Bittertower," the man paused for a second to clear his throat as he went on. "Arizone has not come out of his castle for the last few months and has locked himself inside. Our sources indicate that this may be the place were the rebels are planning their assault. All though he is registered as one of the Lord's who followed us in our ascent he may have lost his way. We are convinced that he has defected and with that being said he must be exterminated. The castle is located a few days east of your current position if you start out now you may be able to get there in three days.

I looked over the man carefully to study who exactly we would be killing. He wore a blood red trench coat with matching undergarments. They called him the Mad Lord since he wore a copper mask over his face apparently to cover up the pox that hit him not long ago. His long red hair stretched over his shoulders and hung over each side. Well if this is what we had to do then so be it.

"Sir, subject will be terminated," I gave a strong salute with my left hand and showed them my colours.

"Please destroy any rebel associates located inside, and make sure they do not gain an edge on us. Find any information if you can on what they plan to do next. If you can please capture him alive Major, not under your influence though, then he will be useless," the man paused a second time and coughed into his hands.

My right hand went over my face; it seems that I would have to be careful this time.

"The map to the castle has already been loaded into your PMD. Remember this is all for the good of the DA Femme Fatal. Make as proud we are counting on you three. Over and out, report when the mission is completed," the screen went blank and I turned around. I was relieved that we were going on a mission again, maybe the nightmare would end.

My comrade came through the sealed door as I started to gather my things.

"Get your equipment, the mission starts now," I said proudly and with that we were off.

((Well I hope you enjoyed the first chapter comments of course are appreciated. I have a number of different of Star Fox stories do here one that I'm really enjoying writing...))


	2. Chapter 1

_To be free_

_Is the best thing in the world_

_To stretch you wings_

_Is a gift that man does not appreciate_

_ Flying Beauty_

Chapter 1

Man why do these things always pop up at the most annoying times? I mean here I was pounding the living daylights out of a tree and Violet has to come and tell me there is a mission. Well she did not actually tell me she just gave me one of her looks and a short look it was. Oh that Tanya I bet she is jumping up and down right now just because we have to go on another adventure. Sometimes I do not know why I do this, yet it is so much fun. Flying and spilling blood seem to go hand and hand yet this is where I belong now and forever.

So my comrade led me inside where the vixen explained the operation. I swear sometimes I believe sometimes she is man for goodness sakes. The Major walks, talks and even stands like a man. Now I guess that's the closest thing to a man in our little group. If she ever knew I thought that I bet she would use that Nightmare eye on me. It is pretty scary to think about, though I guess my worst nightmare would be looking like her. Tanya has a very unusual skin complex and that's to say the least. Let's see she is a vixen with this dead grey fur. It has to be the most boring colour I have every laid my eyes on, I mean come on grey, at least it could have some feminine appeal to it. She is about 6'2 and really towers over me, but really gives me the shivers are looking into that eye of hers. Not the "eye" her dull green one on her left side. I swear I think that's the only thing left of her former self. Sometimes when I play around with Violet I joke around with her and I say that the Major use to be a model before all this. I think she tried to form a smile, since I was laughing so hard. I should have had that on video, Violet smiling I mean, you will not see that too often.

Anyway back to the Major who wears the same smelly old army clothes from her past life. They look to be a hundred years old; the forest green colour has faded down to a dim grey just like her fur colour. That reminds me she never showers for some reason so her face is so crusty like a loaf of bread just falling apart or something. I offered her some facial cream once but she rejected it saying it would not help. I do not really understand since this was quality stuff that the supermodels use, but hey I guess she knows best. Her skin is really decaying and body looks pretty decomposed except for one little feature. Over her "eye" is this lime green hair that seems to hang over that area. I once asked if that was her former hair colour and she gave me a slight nod.

Now she always is armed unlike me and Violet because she believes in proper military etiquette or some garbage like that. Under her right hand wrist is a metal scythe that hangs there attached to a hooking system located under her right wrist. The metal weapon is attached to a short handle so she could use it in hand to hand combat which is then attached to a spiked chain for long range strikes. It seems to be pretty deadly; oh she also has a butcher's machete hanging on her hip. That's really all I know about Tanya all though she never answers my questions about her eye. I wish I could help her with it, because sometimes she cries in the middle of the night and I cannot help her.

We were all getting our casual clothes off in exchange for something a bit more professional. Well actually Tanya was already waiting outside for me and Violet. I spat out my bubble gun into the tin can and proceeded to change. I took off my smiley shirt and my jeans and put on something a bit more bulky. The armor the DA applied me with was very lightweight it felt like spandex at certain points. The coal black suit covered me from head to toe including a hollow helmet which I carry around until the mission starts. I would not want my pretty little face getting scared in battle that would be a disaster. So the armor was a little thicker around the chest, knees and wrists but still felt comfortable on me. Now for my weapons which were hanging on a belt beside my cot. I put the leather utility belt around me and attached it carefully. I grabbed about half a dozen frags and placed them in there corresponding spots. A few extra clips for my firearm were necessary you never know when a bogey will give you some trouble. Finally I took my TMP off its hook and put the strap over my shoulder so it can hang over my hip.

"Yeah, ready for battle," I said triumphantly as I spun around in a circle and pointed my right index finger in the air. Of course no one was there to comment well Violet was but she was too busy preparing herself. My comrade had the same armor as me but she had different weapons. She was a long range specialist and preferred the rifle to the handgun though I thought it was more fun to smell the blood. The lupine grabbed her rifle and swung it over her shoulder. I could already see the extra clips hanging on her belt and her side arm in its holster. She carried a Taurus PT145 just incase she needed it but I do not think she has ever fired a bullet out of her sidearm before.

We both grabbed our packs which had our helmets in it and a variety of supplies including sleeping wear, food, medical supplies though none of us were doctors and our PMD's. With a swipe of our key cards we were outside the base and we both joined the Major. I always questioned why the DA never supplied us with low key transports such as the hovering motor bikes but I guess they did not have resources available for us. So we had to walk, which really was not that bad it was good exercise. The nights under the stars or camp fires with Tanya and Violet were really boring sometimes though. I mean we never talk; I am basically talking to a tree, well two really. I have such a vibrant past being a Sakura and all and they just are stone cold.

Well this time is going to be different I can tell. I slip a piece of bubble gum in my mouth and start singing loudly trying to remember the lyrics. My comrades are not amused, oh well there is no wrong in at least trying right?

Our PDA's shows us what path to follow, the forest is pretty big you know, but our route proves reliable. We move pretty fast mind so that always cuts down time. The Major sets the time and Violet always goes along with it. I on the other hand hate how we only have a few moments to dip our feet into the cold river water and then were off as soon as I close my eyes. Talk about rush hour and I cannot forget how we always have to preserve our rations. I like to eat ok, even if I'm too skinny I have a high metabolism me thinks. Our group has been walking for about seven hours now and I believe it is time for us to call it a day. Now we have a little game you see, the first one to sit down has to collect the firewood. This game is pretty stacked let me tell you because Tanya has no pressure in her legs and Violet well she just stands up for the hell of it. This just leaves me little miss fairy princess who has sore legs by the end of the day. Let me tell you dragging that fire wood is no easy task, especially in the middle of the night.

Well I put down in my pact and looked around to see the other girl's poker faces. I let out a little huff as I put my hands on my hips.

"Well if you think I am going to go get the wood tonight, you can just forget that motion," I stuck out my tongue for an added effect. I get a small reaction but it's a reaction at least. Tanya lets out a cocky grin and Violet gave me a casual smile. Of course those both disappear when the other girls realize that I was not joking and so the stand off begins.

After a long period of time that seemed like eternity to me I was starting to fall asleep. Slowly but surely my eyelids felt heavier and heavier each second as they slowly fell bit by bit over my eyes. I thought about it for a second and looked over to see the other girls standing there like statues. I cursed them both mentally and gave them a fist pump in the air and then all went dark. Suddenly a noise filled my ears, it sounded like we were getting ambushed and we were being fired upon. Immediately I dove for the ground and grabbed my TMP with my right hand prepared to strike anything that moved when I realized that there was no one attacking us. Confused and tried, I got up from my position and looked over a very large tree that had fallen. I don't remember this being here; I said to myself as I climbed over and sure enough there were my comrades.

"Tanya what is going on?" I said in a raspy voice as I took a spot beside Violet and breathed in the hickory smoke and felt the warm flames against my paws.

"Well Sakura, I realized that for once you actually were going to give me a run for my money. Since we were all dead tired instead of gathering wood I just took down the nearest tree. Besides, by the time the act was done you were already down for the count," the vixen let out a shrew bold laugh and then winked at me.

"Well that's new, Major Tanya Mikialavitch actually having a little fun." I gave her a little nudge in the side and produced a smile of my own.

"That tree took only one hit from my blade and it fell sternly, luckily not on you," the Major fell back as you let herself sink lower onto her sleeping apparatus; a mixture of cotton and wool blankets.

I looked over and saw Violet letting out a low colourful chuckle; it seems she was enjoying this just as much as we are. Wow a laugh out of both of them, guess there is hope after all I said to myself.

All three of us eventually called it a night and went to sleep after we shared a loaf of bread and some sausages. Now this wasn't much of a slumber party but hey I cannot complain I'm with my best friends after all.

This routine continued for a few days as we headed for Bittertower to eventually fight and kill Lord Darius. By this time I guessed we were close by and so I raised the most important question of them all.

"Guys, which one of us is going to kill Darius?" I said softly as I skipped alone the forest floor.

"Me," Violet said coolly as she took the rifle off her back and slowly prepped it for the millionth time.

"No, no, no, no!" I said hysterically as I stomped my feet angrily like a youngling. When Violet went out to eliminate someone the fight was over in a minute and I wound not get to fly again.

"I want blood on my fingers girls, let me have a go," I said brightly as I caught up to the other two who had not stopped for me.

"I think we can settle this the only way girls know how," the vixen said in a serious tone as we all stopped.

"Agreed," both me and Violet said in accordance as we stopped as well.

All three of us were looking at the southern wall of Bittertower. I checked by PDA and realized we were at the designated area. This area was left unmanned according to reports and it seemed this would be our entrance.

"Ok first on to the top gets to kill Darius," Violet said silently as she readied herself. All three girls took out their repel pistols, except for the Major who just used her scythe. Both me and the lupine fired our repelling weapons and watched them glide upwards until they hit something solid. We both tugged on the rope to make sure it was secure, attached it to our utility belts, and then we stepped back.

The Major held the weapon in her right hand and let the excess chain drift into her left. With a few hard twirls she got it to the sped she needed and let the weapon fly out of her hand. The blade flew just as fast as our repels did and eventually hit the yellow sandstone right on target. She waved us forward as we all stood side by side.

"No cheating Tanya, we both know you can just pull yourself up automatically," I said calmly as I waved my finger.

"Of course, now let's begin," the Major replied coldly.

The climb was pretty easy, the wear and tear on the stone had many it easy for us to find the right places to place our feet or find ridges for our fingers. I never looked over to check for the other girls I just kept going up as fast as I could. It was sunny out so sometimes the sun got in my eyes at this point I put my helmet on and the climb continued. By the time I got to the top it took all my energy just to fall over the ledge and onto the cool ground. I breathed heavily as I opened my eyes and saw two shadows standing over me.

"Please be two helpless guards and not my comrades," I said to myself as my eyes started to adjust to the sunlight.

"Sorry Sakura you're the last one up, and by my count as the first one up here that makes me the winner, so I will get to kill Darius," Tanya had a little kick to her voice as she said the words, as if she was bragging.

"Damn you both," I replied swiftly as Violet offered me her hand and proceeded to pull me to my feet. All three of us took off our pacts and would leave them on the roof until we needed to leave. In a few seconds all three of us were ready for battle. I looked at both my comrades; we all had the same look in our eyes. I wanted to spill some blood and finally fly again, and so it began as we entered the base of the southern tower.

**((I know the chapter is a little bland, but the first three chapters show the different personalities. The next chapter shall have some action and show the "true" persona's. Thanks for all comments so far and I will get started on chapter 2 soon. I will be posting more stories to read soon so you can look at those as you wait for the next chapter.))**


	3. Chapter 2

**((Please note that the bulk of the chapter is in Violet's view before and after the mission. All though I change perspectives a few times with "" please assume that all three fights are happening at the same time. Thanks))**

_Who am I_

_That is the question that I always will ask_

_Nobody has an answer_

_Nobody cares about me_

_Lonely Mortal_

Chapter 2

We entered the tower slowly, steadily, for stealth was our greatest asset on this mission. I realized that completing the objective was the most important thing and so with that in mind I made sure that my head was clear as the team separated. It broke my heart to wave goodbye, for there is always a chance that I will never see my comrades again and if that happened I would truly be sorry. For the first time I feel accepted, people can look past who I am on the outside and look who I am internally. I may be a sniper with a cold heart but I have feelings too, the emotion of belonging, a silly one for a sniper like me to have. We are after all the lone wolves of the military, yet inside me I have a burning desire to be with someone, anyone really. Tanya and Sakura are my comrades at arms and I will fight beside them, and die for them if necessary. If that is the price of friendship then I shall meet blood with blood.

The team had created a three way triangle to trap our target within as the blueprints of the building revealed what we needed. The front door and the foyer were being covered by the Major as she decided that was where Darius would come to if he needed to escape. The main staircase which led to the hallow halls of Bittertower had a rather large library which was straight up the stairs. I was actually positioned on the upper levels with my rifle pod set up as I waited for my target. You see we were supposed to eliminate all those who got in the Major's way, so I'm going to sit and wait until someone comes. Now, I know that Sakura is waiting in the backrooms of the main floor incase anyone comes from that direction so we were prepared on all fronts. In this job you need to get into the minds of your prey. Darius will be a man who would not back away from a challenge. As a rebel leader he will want to set an example to his colleagues on the front line to show them that the DA does not scare him. Those are honorable intentions indeed but he will not get the best of any of us. Another thing I need to mention is that no matter what happens Tanya will always get the last laugh. Her "eye" would be her saving grace, a weapon that neither I nor Sakura can comprehend. The truth is she has no eye in that socket but instead darkness dwells there, which is why the peasants call it the nightmare eye.

The castle itself is one of the finest I've seen, and certainly one would say that Lord Darius has very exquisite tastes. The sandstone which is walls are made of has been carved out of the most beautiful stone. You can tell because each brick is so smooth that when I lay my hand against it feels just like my fur. When we entered the building we were deeply amazed of the layout of the castle. Marble statues littered the hallways depicting battle scenes, or a lover's quarrel, truly a site that only the Gods could create. There were tapestries of the highest qualities silks ands rugs made out of the softest fur imaginable that were probably worth more then I could earn in a lifetime. The library which I was looking over was filled with many books, scrolls and paperwork. The man probably has the whole history of Fortuna in the palm of his hand I said to myself as my eyes scanned the area. I was placed south of the exit so I could look over the foyer. Marble stairs ran down to the main floor; the red carpet beckoning someone to walk along it. The crystal chandelier dangled on an iron chain; one hundred candled shined brightly, making it look like a star in the night. My eyes were caught on this work of art, the stars that had such natural beauty that was reflected in this antique. I much has been so entrenched that I missed the shadow that was passing below me.

The castle reminded me of something from long ago but I could not put my finger on it as I strolled through its halls. Darius would be coming soon and I must be ready. I walked along the foyer gazing at the marble pillars noting the sculptors that had cared the mosaics into them. Simple patterns like a row of roses or a crown of leaves really brought back hollow memories, yet I could not put my finger on it. As I walked along I could hear footsteps in the back ground, they were bold and crisp, a man's steps by my perception. I pretended not to notice the beckoning sound, as I let the pole of my scythe slide into my grip. It would take one fatal blow and this battle would be over before this even began, but that's not how I wanted it. I spun around quickly and let my hand release the blade as it flew my hand as if it was an extension of my arm.

"You missed," Darius said in a shallow tone as he revealed himself from behind one of the marble pillars.

"Did I?" I replied swiftly as the weapon flew back into my hand.

"I guess you did not," the vulpine said boldly as strands of his hair on his left side fell to the ground.

"By order of the DA, Lord Darius Arizone of Bittertower you are now a subject of extermination," I read out the man's will all though he did not seemed to have flinched at all, or maybe he was hiding it behind that mask of his. I must say he looked exactly like how the DA described him, blood red trench coat, matching undergarments, copper mask worn over his face and flowing red hair hanging over his shoulders.

"Well Major Mikialavitch, I'm sure you already know that I will not go down without a fight, so lets start this already shall we," Darius paused as he drew the sword hanging from the sheath on his belt. It was an iron broad sword, polished grandly compared to other regular old rusted up pieces, the golden hilt showed a glimpse of his status as a lord complete with a red ruby in the centre.

The vulpine flew at me fast, each of his hands grasping the hilt strangely and his first blow probably would have knocked someone back if they were not prepared but I was. With my feet planted into the marble I used the scythe to block the blow. Both of us were silent as our weapons crisscrossed, the only noise now would be the sound of metal clashing. I kicked the man in the chins which caused him to jerk backwards and at this point I released my weapon and fired it like a projectile. My adversary blocked the strike but I would not stop volley at this point and with a snap of my wrist the assault continued. I slashed at him every time he blocked; every swing harder then the last as I pushed him back farther and farther. The man could not continue this defense forever and we both realized this as he stepped behind a pillar.

The chain snapped back as the pole fell into my right hand as I continued to walk forward. He appeared moment later with an unexpected swift strike, I blocked the move but this time it was his turn to lead the dance. Arizone had a few minor wounds but nothing serous and he looked as if he had as much energy as he began the fight with as his blade came at me time and time again. I took a few flesh wounds but just like this man I would not succumb to these minor inconveniences. My eye watched his movements waiting for an opening, like a hawk waiting for its prey to come into the open and then I would strike with all I had in me. The time came when I parried his last blow and he stumbled back. With a flick of my wrist my blade twirled around his until it was caught in my iron chain.

Darius faltered for a second as he pulled as hard as he could but it was no good; I had him where I wanted him.

"Ready to give up," I said gently as I drew the machete with my left hand.

"Not on your life witch. They say that you cannot die; no matter how many times you are stabbed or shot you will get up each and every time. But I do not believe this folk lore that is why I came out here to see for myself," the vulpine paused to catch his breathe; I could hear his lungs gasp for air under the mask.

"Believe what you want, but I'm not the one tied up at the moment," I smiled briefly as I took a step forward. The man's eyes shot at me, they were a vibrant orange much to my dismay.

"Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not done yet," and with that the vulpine flung his sword sideways as it impaled the closest pillar right next to him. The man smiled at me as two silver rods came out of his trench coat and landed in his hand, revealing two blood red plasma swords. I did not give him the satisfaction as the mechanism beneath my right wrist pulled the chain back, but there was a snag. It seems that along with Darius's weapon my scythe has been caught in that marble prison.

"Shit," I said to myself as the man flew at me.

I was so angry that Tanya got to fight Darius and I just had to watch, it would have brought my tears to my eyes but that would have fogged up my helmet. Behind the marble staircase lay a bunch of backrooms that I had to guard. There really was not that much to look at just some spare rooms filled with God knows what but here I am. Oh that fight looks so exhilarating, I want to smell blood too, and I want to fly so badly. My eyes gaze upon Darius and the Major exchanging blows as I leaned against one of the marble pillars.

"If I don't get to fly soon, I think I may kill the next person I see," I say loudly as I kick the pillar with my left foot. I winced in pain and grabbed my foot as I twirled around in despair, angry at myself for doing something foolish. I yelled out a soft cry as I landed on the floor with a small poof.

"Well you may get your wish demon," an unknown voice fills my ears as I turn around to investigate.

Standing in front of me is tall female doberman covered in green blue armor that extends over her shoulders. She has light tan brown fur and flowing black hair that went down past her knees. Compared to me she was a real hulk standing there with her arms crossed, looking all menacing with that hung mace hanging from her belt.

"Wow your taller then Tanya, that's like this tall," I extend my hands as far as they can go and let out a soft giggle as I get up from off the ground.

"Child this is not a game," the bulky figure says as she gazes at me with her forest green eyes.

"I guess your one of Darius savages, the DA once told me about you people. The natives of this planet are real carnivores if you ask me, I mean they have not even heard of SURFACE, there like the biggest band in the system right now," I put my right hand on my hip and my left one grasps my TMP.

"Savages you say, well would a savage ask a fellow warrior to show their face to me," the woman asked boldly as she took a defensive stance.

"If you say so," I reply swiftly as I take off the helmet and threw it on the ground showing off my vibrant fur. "Now please spill your blood for me," the TMP goes off in my hand as a fire a volley of bullets at the mystery rebel. I'm surprised to see that instead of dodging, her shield on her back comes off and flies in front of her taking all the hits. The long shield is a mystical sea blue that sparkles like the night sky.

"That's cheating your shield moved in your defense," I yell in a whinny tone as I walked forward.

"This shield responds to the magnetic pulses in my body it will move according to them," the savage says coldly as her right arm reaches for her mace.

"Well I guess I will have to be just a little faster," I saw sweetly as I threw the empty the clip on the ground and reload the weapon. I pump lead into the shield but it takes every blow, guarding her from harm. I hear the rebel muttering how it was pointless to continue the attack when I drop a flash bang on the ground. The woman moves the shield and then cries out as the flash bang goes off, a little too quick for her to move the metallic barrier to protect her. I must admit she has a strong will, instead of cowering in pain she remains still letting her other senses take over. I jump up in the air and let my wrist blade eject out of its place as I land behind her.

"Let me fly again," I said softly as I moved in for the kill. The rebel responds quickly as her black hair twirled in the wind as the head of the mace flies forward. I parry it away and the heads lands on the ground hard cracking the marble.

"A flail and a mace in one weapon, where can I get one of those," I say in a hush tone as the savage moved forward.

"Enough with your childish games take this," with all her strength she swings the metal weapon as the ball flies towards me. I take a step back each time, the spiked head caused more damage to the marble each time she misses. I try to fire a volley of bullets in openings but each time her shield moves in. I back off slowly and then I hit something hard, I turn my head and looked at the sea blue metal before I duck. The flail head misses me by an inch as I roll past the rebel.

"You're pretty good," I say boldly as I fly forward, each step taken as if gravity had no effect on me.

"You too demon, but I'm the won who will win this fight," the rebel smiles briefly as she sidesteps out of the way. My feet had no friction on the shield as I fell to the ground. "Ow" I say softly as I see the hulking figure stand over me. The flail had converted back to a mace as she produced a hideous smile revealing jagged teeth.

The fighting began and I watched from my post all though I would probably not be a part of it. I looked through the scope and saw my comrade exchanging blows with the enemy. Come on Major finish him already and then I see the trace of a shadow below the second row of books. I change my stance quickly, that's probably what saved my life as the metal whip zoomed past me. As it came back it sliced through my tripod and my rifle fell to the ground, at that moment the weapon went off and a silenced shot blew apart a few books. I get up immediately and take cover behind half of the support arch holding up this library. I quickly reload and my thoughts race to my comrades. I hope they are doing ok, but for now I must deal with whoever is here. A quick roll and a second later I glance down on the floor looking for a hostile. My ears pick up something as I turn my head to see a book fall to the ground, at this point again the metal whip strikes me, this time hitting my rifle. I stumble from the attack and fall to the ground and realize this is no ordinary assailant. They have been attacking from the shadows just like a sniper would, with a weapon that seems to bend to the attackers will.

"Well who ever it was they just put my scope out of action," I replied to my thoughts as I ripped the jagged piece of metal off the top of the rifle, which had been sliced right through the middle. From my position I look over and see a flash from the distance. I take careful aim and fire one round, bursting more books into shreds. I must have missed as my ears picked up the sound of footsteps climbing up marble stairs. My hands move like clockwork as I quickly reload and gaze to the other side. My eyes pick up someone running as I take aim again and fire. To my dismay my enemy leaps at that moment and with a much needed spin they fire there own weapon. My fingers quickly pull hard on the latch as I reload and let the empty casing fall to the ground. It's too late as the blade strikes hits its mark and rips the left side of my rifle and skins my helmet breaking the glass covering my face.

The metal whip extends back into the abyss as I look down and see that my rifle has been ruined. I swear silently and drop the useless firearm and take my Taurus out of its side holster. I position myself behind the arch and carefully take the helmet off allowing my violet hair to fall below my shoulders. Carefully I place the broken object on the ground and wait until the footsteps become louder. The noise reached its peak as the mystery assassin turned the corner and was met with my helmet being kicked from behind the arch. Before they could react I slide from behind my cover and fired as many rounds as I could into the mass that was forming in front of me. My bullets met the metal whip, all though one must have pierced the flesh as the rebel fell against the sandstone.

Throwing the empty clip on the ground I take a full one off my belt and reload the sidearm as I stand over the target. I realize that the rebel is female as I look into her eyes. Her eyes have completely whitened, not even a trace of colour anywhere and the same could be said about her body. She wore a tan poncho with leather riding boots, a red stain making its way along the girl's right side. Her sandy brown fur is quite light all though her hair is just a tad darker. I kick her metal whip away from her hand and circle her body.

"Goodbye," I say silently as I closed my eyes.

My machete proves to be the only defense I have as the man strikes me with his twin plasma swords. I try to fall, back but it seems Darius has taken a whole new personality attacking me faster and harder then he did before. My defense soon falls apart as he knocks the blade out of my hand. I fall to the ground, shocked, stunned but most of all ashamed. I call myself a Femme Fatale yet here I am about to be beaten by just one foe. I'm afraid that this may be the end for me and my comrades. I could hear there own battles going on yet I had to pay attention to my opponent. The mystery that is Lord Darius will have to be unraveled by someone else I guest. He stood over me his orange eyes were like fireflies, so bright yet so dark in a sense that was the last I would see of them.

"Tanya Mikialavitch the end for you has come, I'm sorry we could not meet on better terms," Darius flicked his wrist and stabbed downwards. My mind screamed out in rage, it cannot end like this, not like this, the will to live took over as the "eye" went off. A blinding black light was emitted from the "eye" as Darius fell over in pain. His blades went off as his hands tried to grip his head. I got up slowly and looked over at the helpless vulpine. I kicked away the two plasma blades and walked over to the pillar where my scythe was impaled. It took me a few moments to wrestle the weapon out of its prison but eventually I released it and felt the pole slide comfortably into my hand, Darius's sword fell to the ground in the process. I walked over to him and brought him to his feet but it was a pointless task as he could not stand straight.

"I wonder what nightmare Lord Darius is having," I said softly as my "eye" glowed lightly and I was thrust into his mind. I can see the nightmares they all have; their worst fears come to life with my ability. I wish I could understand what it is, what this nightmare does. If I can understand it maybe just maybe my nightmare will stop. I closed my eye and was thrust into his mind. This was a new one for me, for all I could see was black, an empty black world, there was no one around just me. Then I heard laughter in the background and I turned around in response.

"Get out of my head, both of you!" the Lord screamed loudly.

I opened my eye but by then it was too late. Darius's sleeve revealed another weapon again as a silver kunai fell into his left hand. I tried to fall back but I was too close to begin with as he struck me. He stabbed me in my "eye" and then with one final blow he slashed away at my face, taking my lime green hair along with it. I fell back and then I looked down to see my hair on the ground. My head was pounding, but my voice was silent yet the "eye" was screaming and then it began. The sounds that came out of my mouth was out of this world the most horrible screeches imaginable as the black light spread out around me hitting everyone. By now Darius has recovered his three blades and turned around to be hit by the black light. The vulpine muttered something but I could not hear anything, my soul was doing the talking right now. The last I saw of Darius he ran towards the marble stairs the darkness following his every step.

Sakura, Violet and the two rebels there were fighting must have been hit because I could see their nightmares. Someone was falling out of the sky covered in blood; another was running towards nothing, the one to my right was about some people beating on a little girl and the last showed someone getting executed multiple times except they would never die each time worse then the last. This was the last I saw of anyone of them as I stretched out my hand and then all went dark this time for real.

The fire me and Sakura made was burning strongly now yet neither of us were satisfied. A few hours we guessed after the incident we found the Major on the ground with a pool of blood around her, we thought Darius had killed her yet when we looked there was no wound. We carried our comrade out of the castle after searching for our foes. It seems they had vanished without a trace and it seems the mission had failed in a number of ways. After we both had recovered our belongings from the top of Bittertower we made out way back to our base. I was angry for so many reasons, not only did my rifle get busted in battle but we let our prey escape. We had failed for once, this one hurt worst then any of my injuries. I mean what if they separate us because of this; I could not live with being alone, again.

"Sakura, what if they separate us because of this failure," I blurted out my inner most thoughts and the female husky looked at me. She had lost her usual energy and charm and was as silent as me. My comrade looked at me and then turned away and focused her attention back at the roaring flames.

"Listen to me I do not want to be alone please do not let them separate us. I want to be with you guys to the end!" the lupine yelled proudly.

"I will not let them separate us as long as I live," the vixen said in a quiet tone as the Major rolled over. A sparkle filled my eyes; I could see the same thing happening to Sakura as we both rushed over to our injured comrade.

"Major your all right," I said in a quivering tone as I tried to help the vixen up.

"Of course I am Violet, now lets try to get some sleep we have a long road ahead of us," the Major touched both of our heads and let our hair flow through her hands. Neither of us argued with her, even if we both wanted to play twenty questions with her. For now sleep was the only thing we all had on our minds as we drifted into our dreams.

The last few days back to camp were rather uneventful; no one talked about what happened to them and it made the days seem to go by much slower. Me and Sakura gave each other constant looks as the Major strode ahead. It was the grey furred vixen's fault that the mission was a bust but no one wanted to tell her that. Yet I think we could see it in her face, I could tell especially when I gave her the silver kunai I found on her body. Tanya took it, all though I could see rage built up in her face, which was the last time I tried to talk to her about the event. At last we had reached our base, my only true home. The Major swiped her card key and we all entered hastily.

"I do not know about you girls but I'm having a long shower," Sakura said cheerfully as she skipped ahead. A giggle escaped from my lips, and the husky replied with a cute "what, a girl needs to smell her best," and she pointed her right index finger towards the shower.

But as we stepped forward into the inner most regions of the base and the metal door opened we were all horrified to see three hooded figures in our compound. Immediately without either of us saying anything we all drew our weapons, I took out my Taurus. Tanya stepped forward and asked the question that was on all of our minds.

"Who are you," the Major asked boldly as she pointed the tip of her scythe at one of the hooded figures.

"And what have you done to my SURFACE poster!" Sakura screeched as she saw multiple holes in her poster. The one closest to that area was flipping a knife with his right hand, that probably being the weapon that scarred Sakura's treasure.

"I believe you should be answering our questions. Like how did Lord Darius escape?" we all turned to the man who had spoke in the smooth cool tone. All three of us were speechless as he let out a shallow cough. He wore a white a robe that fell to his feet.

"What cat got your tongue," the man in white said slyly and we all realized that we were talking to one of the DA's leaders,"

**((Thanks for all the comments but this chapter was really interesting for you and for me. So many questions... for you guys to consider**

**Who is Darius really? Why was he not effected by the Nightmare eye? What is the "eye"? What did he mean by get out you two? Who are the robed man? Who is the man in white? The list goes on as this chapter poses a lot of questions... hope you enjoyed this installment.))**


	4. Chapter 3

_If fighting back is the only answer_

_If killing is the only option_

_If leading is the only way_

_Then we are truly lost_

Masked Marauder

Chapter 3

Sometimes life throws curves balls at you and really you got two choices. You can sidestep to the side and miss the ball completely or you can take a chance and go for it with all you got. The trouble is recognizing when those curve balls are being throw at you and it is not an easy thing let me tell. One minute you're a wealthy lord and one of the most powerful people on the planet, the next you're running through sewers like a rat. Here I am looking back on the day where I decided to one take on of those curve balls on and to really challenge myself. With that in mind among others things that I had overlooked before, I decided to defect. I never knew that secretly donating money to rebel causes would eventually lead to something a lot bigger. Now I got the biggest chip on my shoulder and the trouble is that I can't seem to rid myself of it. At this point I'm swatting curve balls away like flies and now I face the toughest challenge of my life. Everyone is scared for their lives but the truth is I'm just as afraid as they are.

Heavy footsteps trekking through water was the only thing one could hear for miles and damp grey pipes stretched as far as they eye could see with the occasional rat. I knee high in shit and the smell was starting to get to me. I looked behind to check on my two comrades. I have to admit even after all they had just gone through they were still keeping up. Anyone else probably would have called it quits a while ago but these two ladies were the toughest gals I knew. Literally a few steps back was the tan brown dobermen Mace who seemed to always have a look of fear in her eyes. And by fear, I mean the emotion one generates one gets by looking into her eyes. Her forest green eyes were rather appropriate since she came from the jungles of Fortuna. Mace was one of the few native tribes like in Fortuna that had not been wiped out by local governments or assimilated into some kind of society. But this girl was different; she was a wildling so to speak, a uncontrollable beast that could not be tamed at any point. Just by looking at her one could get a sense of just who she was that's probably why she did not speak that much. Her image got the message across every time, if you messed with her your blood would probably flow.

I do not know that much about the native other then that she had been crowned the greatest warrior of her tribe. According to what she had told me everyone is named after a basic object or emotion and of course she was named after her weapon. I have to admit one should not be underestimated by her sex because she will kill you in an instant. No matter how long she may participate in this cause she still remains a beast at heart. Her blue green armor is very tough and covers her completely with notable padding at the joints. On her back she carries that metallic shield, the one that she can control magnetically. She once told me that it has a connection to her armor, the long shields crystal surface reacts to her body which send out some kind of pulse I assume. All I know is that her shield can be manipulated without her physically touching it. Her long black which falls almost to her feet covers is guess that's why more then once she has been shot from behind even though her weapon has blocked those shots. Her main weapon is quite a large mace which can be turned into a flail with a flick of her wrist. A great combination, the long range of the flail and the short range if the mace combined with her overwhelming strength makes her a formidable opponent. I looked back at her again this time she smiled shortly, it was only a second but she flashed her jagged teeth at me. I turned my head and gave me just the slightest of shivers, who knows what kind of flesh she has eaten in her life.

As the three of us turned the corner I heard a loud splash behind me. Isabella had found face first into the sewage line. Immediately me and Mace pulled her out, the female lynx started to cough up dirty water and blood. I nodded slightly to the savage and we dragged our comrade forward. We took the first right into a small, dry recovery shaft used to draw access water is necessary. All though my comrade was begging us to move forward I feared if we did then her injury may prove fatal.

"Look Isabella we going to rest just for a bit, your injury is not to be taken lightly," I chimed in a low tone as me and Mace put our comrade down gently.

"Darius, this is nothing, I've been beat up worse before," the lynx said softly as she ran her right hand through her hair.

My eyes glanced at the red stain on her poncho that had been expanding ever since I found her. It seems one of the Femme Fatale members may have gotten one last shot in before the nightmare began. But the look in Isabella's eyes was iron and with nothing being said we all got up and started walking aging, this time the pace was a little slower. I let Mace take the lead and I stayed behind my comrade. Isabella Harris was a lynx was sandy brown fur; she probably could have been a model if it was not for her eyes. She has been struck with cataracts which is usually associated with the elderly when their eyes glaze over and they essentially become white. Isabella eyes were white already which put a lot of people off. I guess this is how she ended up on the street. She once told me that a group known as The Heavens Society picked her and other orphans up. This group of monks trained the children to be assassins and then sold them off to the highest bidder. She eventually became the bodyguard of a wealthy merchant but his lack of courage was disheartening to her. All though she was under oath to protect the man until death she abandoned him and eventually came to Fortuna.

Her weapon the Ivy Blade was very quick and could coil like a snake acting as a whip and a sword. She was usually dressed in a Tan poncho and deep brown riding boots with light armor underneath. Isabella was now one of my greatest ally's and one of my more trusted comrades. They curiosity killed the cat yet both woman have the thoughts on their mind. They both stare me down as if they are trying to look into my heart; maybe my poker face is a little good. Do they both really want to see what my face looks like, I'm afraid they may be disappointed? I hide my face in fear of everything, yet I'm scared of nothing. It seems to play out in my head that the copper mask is my new face, the face of the rebellion while the mass of red orange fur was of Lord Darius Arizone. Yet they are both two sides of the same coin, so what is the true answer?

My thoughts were interrupted as Mace spoke to both of us.

"So tell me Darius, how did you escape the "eyes" power?" the native asked in a bold tone as we continued to jog along.

"Must have been lucky I guess," I replied swiftly.

Both Isabella and Mace stopped and looked back at me, studying me like some animal.

"Look when the Major attacked me I managed to get a lucky blow with one of my kunai's," I gave them a convincing lie.

"When the darkness swept over us both me and Mace were affected and even our opponents fell into that hellish state," the lynx said passionately as she leaned against the nearest wall.

Before I spoke the doberman cut me off, it seemed she was not satisfied with either of our responses.

"Hellish state you say that is a mere understatement of what we felt. That demon that one who can avoid death sent us into a deadly illusion. I was confronted by my worst nightmare and it felt like I was stuck in that state for hours, but I bet it was merely a few minutes. So do not shrug it off Darius because you did not feel that escheating pain," the female paused letting out a foul growl.

"You need to trust me, I've got us this far and I'm going to get us even further," I was not going to give them a chance to respond as I continued my assault.

"Without me you guys would still be back in your sorry little lives forgetting this all would happen. I was the first to successfully challenge the DA and more specifically I gave the people hope. Now when we walk through villages I see something in people's eyes, they have faith in us and I promised all of them I would not let them down. So both of you, back off now!" I thrust my body forward, the plasma blades slid into my hand and they both ignited. One step forward and my blades went puncture both of their necks and I would spill their blood. I looked at both of them and then extinguished the weapons and walked ahead of them.

It seems after all we have gone through they still do not trust me. I can understand this I choose to hide behind a mask, I don't risk my identity yet they do. Every day the villagers who provide us with food, shelter, money and supplies risk their lives. If they are caught the DA would most likely torture them and probably kill all they know. Yet even after all this I must hide my face in shame. Until I feel it is time Lord Darius shall be known for his mask and not his flesh. Some may call me a coward but this is what I believe and this is what I know. I leave out details to keep the rebellion moving, yet it may be the thing that brings down this whole operation down.

I flashed my two comrades a look and told them we were heading for the village of Saperstein, both ladies gave me a satisfying look. They are afraid of me I guess; they may think that this is all an act. The next time we go to battle I may switch back to the DA and turn them all in. But this is no act for I know that this is the right thing to do. I believe that this planet and its people must be liberated. Lylat and Corneria have overlooked the situation and have completely forgotten about us. I suspect that the DA Five are paying off the government to keep their mouth's shut; well they obviously have more of a influence then me. My calls have gone unanswered; my trips have proved pointless, even hiring a few mercs seems like an impossible task.

As we walked for a few more hours, no one spoke but the silence was more then enough for me.

"The darkness crept over me like a blanket of smog but I believe I was saved by the very mask you despise. It must have some how blocked the magic and it was at this time that it came to all of you. You were possessed by these nightmares and they sent all four of you into a state of shock. My first priority was to rescue you two, even when I could have wiped out the whole Femme Fatale Team. Mace you actually had fallen over that pink haired girl but I managed to carry you after several grueling minutes. An Isabella you collapsed in your own pool of blood but I also managed to carry you back even when blood was going in my eyes. On top of the weight you both were screaming in fear and trying to escape my grip and it was most uncomfortable. I got a few bruises but I managed to get you both to the back room where I dropped you down the hatch. So here we are now," I looked back and saw that both my comrades were happy that I gave them an honest answer.

"See you should have just said that in the beginning it would have been easier for all of us," Isabella said softly as she reached for the wall.

"Look there is Saperstein," Mace said with a jagged smile as she rushed ahead.

"Sorry for my outburst earlier but look now we can get refueled and have our troops ready," I said coolly as I put my hand on Isabella' s shoulder and helped her forward since I let her use me as a crutch. All though they just smiled and told me to not worry about I felt guilty for a moment. They had both believed my story and not seen through my web of lies. I bowed my head as we exited the sewers and the light hit my eyes and so a new chapter began.

**((Kind of not liking this chapter, I don't feel it's the best I've done compared to the rest. Comments and reviews are appreciated. Well the cast is about to be revealed so thats three more main characters. So I'm sure you were all expecting Femme Fatale do not worry they are back next chapter. Also I want to know what you guys think of the characters anyone you like or hate you know things like that. Also would you guys like me to add info about Devil's Advocate to my profile? Thats all for now and yes Darius is a mystery for now.))**


	5. Chapter 4

_When would I be free of the sin_

_And when that happens I would some how win_

_The nightmare that envelops me_

_Would lose its grip and I can now see_

_Nightmare Man_

Chapter 4

You don't often get to meet celebrities in this type of business but today seems to be our lucky day. All three of us did not care that there were three unknown men standing in our, heck, I wouldn't even care if they were hostile. But the fact that the man in white was only a few feet away was simply a wonder. You see the man in white, also known to us as Lord Thanos Dublin is one of the founding members of the DA and has a legendary sort of era around him. The man was a great fighter and it seems that he was feared even more then I in the rebellion. So did I have respect for the men? Of course after all he was the one who formed our little team.

"Sir it is an honor that you grace us with your presence," I gave the Lord a firm salute and waved his hand vertically indicating I did not have to be so formal. I looked over at my two teammates to see what their reactions would be. Violet stood as still as a statue, yet a small smile had crept across her face. This was an unusual reaction for the lupine, she ignored most people in general, it seems her connection with Lord Dublin was deeper then I expected. I did not even have to look over to what Sakura was feeling because she had already begun her little dance.

"Whitey-Kun you have come back for me," Butterfly said in a childish tone as she ran over and hugged the Lord. He embraced her passionately and she began to spin with him, his soft laughter filled our ears and our souls.

"Why have you not visited me lately, I've been so lonely," the young merc let out a girlish sigh as she twisted her ponytail in her hands.

"I've been busy with all these rebel uprisings, but look at you all grown up now. It seems like yesterday when I brought you to the capital city. So young, so full of energy, you were at my beck and call you know. You probably caused me more trouble then expected but it seems like I left you in capable hands," Thanos gave us a warm smile and a hardy chuckle as he walked towards me.

"You're embarrassing me Whitey-Kun," and with that Sakura put her arm under the Lord's as if she was his maiden. The Lord allowed her to play out her childish fantasy and stopped in front of me.

"You look well Major," the Lord eyed me and stroked my lime green hair with his free hand. I squirmed as the flesh touched my face; it was a very uncomfortable feeling. He knew what was under that barrier yet the man acted as if everything was perfectly fine. I decided to speak up I could not hold the guilt in any further.

"Sir, I regret to inform you that the mission failed and we were compromised," I tried not to look at him directly; it would tear me apart inside.

I did not know much about Lord Dublin other then the fact that he was one of the founding members of the DA and subsequently in charge of the military forces. I guess the other top officers handled the bureaucratic nonsense; Thanos on the other hand was a soldier. He walked with a certain grace with every step he took, as if gravity bowed to him. The man had grayish fur which seemed to be quite light almost to the point that it matched his outer garments. Thanos has deep red eyes, the colour of blood, maybe it represented his need to kill. The Lord wore a white robe which fell all the way to his feet; his chest was mostly shown though revealing a muscular form, with no scars or blemishes. He wears wooden sandals on his feet, which could possibly be a reminded of his peasant life, but I'm only guessing know. His left eye was closed shut, a battle injury perhaps, a vertical and horizontal scar ran through it creating a cross like effect. The vulpine always had a sword by his left side; they called it the Shadow blade, since no one has seen Thanos draw it. However I have tried to examine before and through some careful observation and notes taken by others I've made some rather odd discoveries. The blade has a rather interesting design; some say it has the look of a beaver's mouth, with that being said the middle piece is missing, leaving a weapon with two rather skimpy pieces of metal. At the tip of the hilt lies a black diamond right in the centre, along with three others, one near the base of the hilt and two in the sides. I tried to imagine what the blade looked like, but here is the best design I could think of. --( I'm hoping upon further investigation that I can create a better picture because I'm not the only one curious, all three of us are.

"Failure in this game is not the end, no, no, no, my dear Femme Fatales. But as you know we have a strict policy of keeping up the best standards. We wouldn't want the rebels getting any bright ideas after all. So I've decided to bring the most harsh punishment upon you three, something worse then death," Thanos let out a cruel laugh as he took a step back.

"Sir, I will take any punishment you will put on me in the strictest way possible," Violet said in a stern tone as she bowed her head in shame.

"Whitey-Kun, you wouldn't hurt me would you?" the husky put her finger to her chin as if she was trying hard to imagine what he could to her, this brought a smile to her face.

"Please, Lord Thanos, I beg you do not separate us. I know we can get past this failure and become the perfect mercenary team your looking for," I fell to the floor, this wasn't a game the only thing holding us three together was the team, without my comrades I was nothing, and I'm sure both Violet and Sakura thought the same thing.

"That's a bit cruel don't you think Major. My punishment is a lot worse… you three shall have roommates. Gentlemen wearing your hoods inside a closed space are quite rude, why don't you show the ladies your faces," Thanos smiled as he took a step back and the three hooded man stepped forward. The one on the left revealed his form first, this particular fellow had been the one who had thrown knives into Sakura's poster, which I don't think she was too happy about. The man's face was divided in two; the right half was covered by a metal plate while the left looked barely human. The fur had been cut off almost to the point where it looked like skin, it was a dark shade and I could not pinpoint the exact colour. His birth eye as I called it was a dark green while his mechanical one was a orange plate is a shape of a triangle. Now he had greasy black hair which was quite cut short but still covered part of his head. Other then his mask, there was another feature that creped me out, and that was his tongue. Yes, we all of tongues but I counted in the five minutes that I've seen his that I licked his lips twenty times, deliciously if I may add. The mask was of rather poor design, and looked very polygonal; one could clearly the lines that made up the pieces, dividing it into many pieces, and some more protruded then others. One thing was certain and that was the mouth piece which was orange also had this sort of sly smile on, tempting one to step forward. I was intoxicated by this mask, it beckoned me forward, so I did, it was a bad move on my part.

"What do you think you're looking at Major, does my appearance scare you, ironic for someone who looks like the back end of a goat to be scared of a bit of metal," the soldier flashed a bowie knife forward with his right hand. I now took notice that both his right arm and left leg were also metal.

"I would like to introduce the newest member of the Masked Martyrs, First Lieutenant Grim Asher. Asher took part in our genome project where we tried to create the perfect soldier. Unfortunately we had a minor gas leak, which resulted in some serious medical attention for some of our subjects including Asher. Miraculously he survived and through our surgeons skills we were able to add some mechanical accessories," Thanos held his right arm out, blocking Grim from moving forward, he obediently stepped back.

"Well that's nice, but what about my poster, foreign things are had to get by on this planet," Sakura put her hands on her hip and pointed at her poster, demanding that the First Lieutenant had to pay for it. Lord Thanos leaned over and told her that the DA would cover her loses which caused Sakura to leap for joy and let out a girlish scream. I smiled, at both of them; it seems my Lord had the answer for all of our problems.

"This is First Lieutenant Carmal Pikolet, the second member of the Masked Martyrs," Lord Dublin said softly as the fellow on the right revealed himself to us. I have to say all though I don't really look at men so much; girls would probably consider Carmal a hunk of some sort. Carmel looked to be in his mid twenties, probably a panther with caramel orange fur. He had navy blues eyes that contrasted his fur nicely and his face seemed to really light up right, all though the man did not smile. His short caramel hair was longer in the back and shorter in the front which blended nicely with his outfit. He wore the same black robe as Asher. In his hands he held two moon blades, his weapon of choice I suppose. But the merc had one very peculiar property and that was on his back he carried a rail gun. The powerful machine gun was as thick as his head, and almost as long as his entire body. Yet the man showed no signs of fatigue what so ever from carrying it, I must observe him further to find out how he does this. But why would someone who is a close range fighter judging by those moon blades carry a weapon that would slow him down and be more of a power choice?

"Judging by the looks on your faces you seem to be a bit on awe with Mr. Pikolet, but don't worry, sometimes I don't even know how he does it. Violet this may ring some bells for you as well as the others," Dublin let out a fare smile as the lupine's head turned to the panther.

"Carmel was put under the same intensity training as you three were. Weapon training, assassination lessons, skills management, personality testing as well as a variety of others tests the First Lieutenant had to go through. Our scientists quickly discovered that he was a rare breed of human. He had the perfect soldier mentality; you see the mission is the most important objective always in his eyes. Even if one of his comrades were in danger he would not lift a finger, if it jeopardized the assignment. He was our first subject in the genome project, the one that Mr. Asher also volunteered for. With out medical breakthroughs we were able to make him stronger, faster and more powerful then any of our soldiers currently," Thanos put his arm around Carmel yet the man did not flinch, or actually show any signs of emotions. Dublin seemed to see easily see the similarities between him and Violet. After his little debriefing I could see them too, two children who probably went through the exact same program to get to this point. I must admit they both seem perfect in my eye, but I wonder how they would do in a real scenario.

"How can we all live together, this base really isn't that big and I need my breathing room," Sakura said loudly after Carmel stepped back in line.

"I was hoping someone would say that. As you know I designed this base myself, even if it looks a bit worn down. Of course for security measures I could not tell you about all the features," Dublin quietly laughed in a way that made our anxieties disappear; he was that kind of man all right. The vulpine walked over to the control console and started inputting commands. In a few seconds we all stepped back as the console gave way and a part of it descended into the ground revealing a metal staircase leading downstairs.

"Girls shall live up here and the boys down there. Violet and Sakura please help my comrades get acquainted with this building and yourselves as well. I'm going to take the two Major's outside," Thanos started to walk towards the hatch door and I followed obediently and so did the final hooded figure.

I have a slight nod to my other comrades telling them it was ok even though I was confused. Why would Thanos not tell us about the secret level? Was this part of our punishment? Why do all three give off terrible vibes, especially this one in front of me? He smells just like me… All three of us exited the base and proceeded a way from the metal hatch and strayed into the underbrush.

"Major Mikialavitch, meet Major Kaiser, your opposite number, and the leader of the Masked Martyrs," Thanos said proudly as the final hooded figure stepped forward.

Immediately I felt the pole of my scythe slip into my hand as the man looked at me. He was probably around my age, I saw no older then thirty-five. On the contrary he was quite short measuring to my estimates only 5'4 and he was a lupine. His fur was this moldy green colour, which probably would have made Sakura gag at first sight. The mans face was that same moldy green maybe a bit darker and gave me the impression that it was rotting flesh, like my own. His eyes were a solid black, not a speck of colour could be seen, his hair was short and striped that seem green shade. I actually jumped slightly when my gazed on his arms. His right had been mutated beyond anything I've ever seen; it seemed to be a biological structure and had a plant like resemblance. It looked liked a bundle of vines formed his arms with the tips extending out like claws of a tiger. His left hand had the most extreme attachment I have ever seen, a chainsaw grafted on his left arm.

"Tanya, your failure was quite the disaster for us, you let Lord Darius and his fellow rebel conspirators get away and they even bared witness to your "eye" in the process. But there is flip side to all of this. Our Special Forces team went inside after you three left and found the Lord's escape route. The sewage system which runs under Bittertower connects too many corresponding villages. Now here is the best part, one of our local spies told the DA that a mystery person popped out of no where and I don't think you have to guess who he is talking about," Thanos gave me a bitter smile, but I did not falter.

"Darius sir," I said confidently.

"Correct, Femme Fatale will be participating in a joint operation with the Masked Martyrs as well as some of my own commandoes in the destruction of the village of Saperstein. This is an opportunity that we shall not waste; we will eliminate all the supporters and place Darius's head on a stake for the planet to see. Now this operation will start tomorrow, don't disappoint me again Tanya," I bowed my head and walked off in shame. The thought of working with those three men disgusted me; we were that terrible in his eyes that we needed a second merc team to back us up. I don't think so and I'm going to prove it to all of them tomorrow.

Once Tanya had left the area, Thanos addressed the other Major.

"You know the real reason why I sent you three here. Right Saw?" the Lord asked coolly.

"To investigate the SPW, my Lord and report back to you my findings," the lupine said boldly as he let the Lord pass him.

"Correct, don't fail me Major. Make sure the operation goes smoothly or else I might get angry and if that happens, well those rebel bastards better crawl back under the rocks they came from," and with that Saw bowed slightly and left the Lord alone. Thanos looked up at the stars, a small cough was let out and then he left the six mercs alone.

**((Well here is chapter 4 and the curtain is finally drawn. Thats the main cast basically and I hope some of the characters are drawing your eyes. I hope I get a few comments and questions. Hopefully someone will ask what a SPW is? XD Thanos is a mystery and will remain clouded for shadow throughout the fic. Anyway I hope you guys liked this installment.))**


	6. Chapter 5

_Yet there is a light_

_A dim one at best_

_Someone has taken notice_

_Somebody cares…_

_Lonely Mortal_

Chapter 5

Can Lord Thanos have possibly read my mind? Could he have seen through my cloak of shadows for it seems that he only knows the true Violet. I'm a creature that pretends to thrive on being a lone wolf, but instead all I want is to be accepted into a pack. It did not matter who the members were or what the group's purpose was, I just wanted to feel something for once. It was a feeling that people all around the galaxy feel everyday yet it was something that I lacked for as long as I remember and that made me cold. To be accepted and loved is something that most people take for granted. Yet everyday I envied these people, for they had someone out there to care for and someone cared for them, yet I had no one. I was just one drop of rain out of a storm; there is nothing special about that. With that in mind I strived to become loved, no matter what had to be done. When Thanos first took me in, well it was quite an uplifting experience. He treated me like one of his own kin and showed me true love. For that I will always thank him, and appreciate what he had done for a lost soul like me. When I became a part of Femme Fatale I strived to become the perfect mercenary and soon after that I was finally happy. Even if I have to destroy a thousand more souls, it will be worth it if I can keep my circle of friendship. I will never experience that nightmare again, for being isolated is the cruelest punishment that man can take.

"How far is Saperstein, from our current position Major?" I looked at Tanya's face and noticed that bold look on her face. She took a while to answer, as if she was caught up in her own little world. It seems ever since the Masked Martyrs had joined us things have become quite different. Quite frankly I always wished for company but never wished for this many people around. Of course Sakura was bubbling with excitement; she was so young and innocent as if she was still a child. On one of the first nights we camped out the red husky ranked the male mercs in order of their looks. If I remember correctly she placed Carmel at the top then Tanya's opposite number Saw Kaiser and finally Mr. Asher was firmly placed at the bottom. I asked why she had placed Grim at the bottom and she answered and the cutest tone possible. Who would want to kiss someone that is so ungodly filthy, I mean look at him. I bet his pride got burned off too, so that makes him even less of a man. We both snickered at her rude comments all though neither of us noticed that he was listening in our conversation. Both of us got quite a rude wake up call the next morning especially when we found strands of our hair around our sleeping bags. I remember looking over at Mr. Asher; he licked his lips, flipped his bowie knife and gave me a solid wink with his good eye before he walked off. After that incident we never bothered Grim again, well Sakura still ridicules him especially in front of his comrades. I heard a few laughs from behind their black cloaks all though they were silent.

"A good day's walk Violet," I stopped walking for a moment and processed the information. My mind had wandered as I thought about my haircut from last night and it took that long for Tanya to respond. This was defiantly unusual, something was up and I had to find out. That night I asked the Major to meet me near the forests edge after the sun had set. As I waited for my comrade I took the time to admire the stars, they really were quite vibrant tonight and made somehow made me feel at peace inside. Even when I was younger, the stars were my constant companion, even on the worst days; the twinkle in the night sky always cheered me up. My little daydream was interrupted as my ears twitched and I heard the leaves rustle slightly. Ever since Bittertower I was a bit more cautious these days. I tried to focus on my surroundings in order to draw any potential threats. I drew my Taurus from its holster and slowly made my way forward, carefully trying to not draw any attention to myself. In a sniper's world every little sounds you made, put a bigger target on your head, it was better to be slow and silent then to be loud and dead. I made my way behind the trunk of a large oak tree and turned around in the blink of an eye pointing my handgun at the source of the noise.

My face flushed a little bit as I stared at First Lieutenant Pikolet from the ground. Immediately I holstered my weapon and stepped forward to get a better look. Sakura was right, Carmal really was good looking, his caramel orange fur shined brightly against the moonlight. He was sitting on a rather wide branch looking up at the stars, seem like I was not the only star gazer in our little group. The merc still had his moon blades in hand and that rail gun hanging on his back, I still don't know how he did not get tried, in fact I don't think he ever actually put them down. Yet it is ironic of me to speak of this particular quality since I myself always carry my rifle around.

"I never knew astrology was your interest too?" I said coolly as I leaned against a tree and joined him in the activity.

"You never asked," the panther said quietly not even lifting his gaze from the night's sky.

"I guess that question missed my train of thought," I replied gently.

"Your friend is making quite a loud ruckus, I can here her all the way from camp making her way towards you. However on the contrary you were quite silent, I may have not even noticed your presence, if you were not staring at my face for the past two minutes," Carmal dropped down from his post and studied my body.

I tried to hide my smile, but he was reading me like a book, it seems that I was not the only cool customer in these parts. This little meeting was starting to get awkward but luckily Tanya rescued me with her bold call. I waited for a few seconds as the vixen called out my name again before I looked at the Masked Martyr.

"Well that's my cue," I nodded at him slightly and started to walk towards the Major's voice.

"I look forward to our next encounter, hopefully under the stars," Carmal paused as he smiled at me and I continued to walk away and put up my hand as a final farewell. I made my way through the underbrush quite quickly and eventually found Tanya sitting on a stump and fiddling with her scythe. The vixen's good eye caught sight of me as I approached her. I took a seat on a small log and waited for my superior to call me out. It took a moment for Tanya to get her thoughts in order, the only sounds being her swinging her scythe slightly, once the rod fell back into her hand she spoke.

"Why did you call me out comrade," the vixen said boldly as she looked at me with a deadly gaze.

I gulped slightly, she was obviously annoyed and I tried to think about what I was going to say to her. I did not want at any cost for that "eye's" gaze to fall on me.

"Well I'm worried about you comrade, you have been acting strange every since we left the base. Now I don't know if it was what Thanos said to you when you and Saw were with him or if the presence of the Masked Martyrs upsets you but you need to get over that. You're my leader and comrade and I respect you in more ways then once. But you should not let your emotions get the best of you, in that regard those are things that will get someone like us killed," as I ended my little statement, a flash of metal went by me. Tanya's scythe impaled the nearest tree and upon my closer inspection she had just ended the life of a killer wasp. One little prick from those little buggers would have ended your life in mere hours after a grueling few errors of practically gasping for air.

The weapon repelled back into the vixen's hand and then she finally spoke.

"They smell like death, the constant stench of rotting flesh that I'm use to everyday, is all over them especially Saw. Now Violet, I have to wonder what the real reason they were sent by Thanos. Was it because of this mission, did we really need a second team to back us up or does it have to do with me. Was my performance at Bittertower that terrifying that our Lord had to send backup?" Tanya looked at me for a moment and gave me a chance to response, I choose my words carefully.

"Comrade, whether what your saying is true or not, the fact of the matter is that we have a mission to accomplish. We can deal with these boys later, in our own style and if they are treacherous then my sights will be set on them," I gave the Major a good old fist pump and we both shared a laugh. I walked her back to our camp; this was a good sign after all. We would have to all stick together if this operation would be successful. This was going to probably be our biggest mission yet for either team, we were on the front lines leading DA troops into this village. This time we would grab Darius by the throat and slowly watch him to struggle for each breathe. Our team will not embarrass Lord Thanos again and with that in mind I went to sleep easy that night.

Our trek continued early the next morning as dawn approached. I guess all six of us were restless, after all the upcoming battle was the only thing on our minds. I walked beside Sakura and Tanya while the men separated themselves. Asher lurked behind us much to Sakura's dismay; Carmal was the group's spotter so he was quite far ahead of the main party, while Kaiser was just a few feet ahead. No one really had the energy to talk really, but who could when the setting was so tense. This time failure was not a option but with that in mind I knew that if we all kept this up, well it would not be too good for DA morale, so I decided to break the ice, it was a costly mistake.

"So Saw what was your role in the DA before you joined the Masked Martyrs?" that question had been plaguing my mind for the last couple of days and probably my comrades as well.

"I was a soldier in the DA's military…" the lupine did not even turn around to look at us, instead he continued ahead.

"That's not really an answer comrade, how about you give us a real answer," Tanya said boldly as she cut me off.

"He does not have to answer to you," a quirky voice from behind us stated harshly. We all turned our heads to see Asher basically breathing down our necks; still he had that wicked smile on his face. I always keep one eye open now ever since he cut my hair now when I sleep.

"Get away from us you freak," the female husky said in a harsh tone as she attempted to push Asher. The masked martyr responded quickly as he easily dodged the female's hands and moved to the side. Grim reacted fast as he put his arms around Sakura in a very tight grip, his right hand resting nicely on her chest with a dagger pointing towards her neck.

"You may want to think about what you say to me next," Asher said coolly. Sakura cringed as she felt the merc's tongue against her check and a slight prick as the dagger cut through her flesh ever so slightly.

"Let her go, or else you may end up in a very dark state," Tanya said in a threatening manner as she drew her scythe and pointed it towards the merc.

"I'm not afraid of a SPW, and I'm certainly not afraid of your sex. Such delicate creatures, I always enjoyed my female kills better, they have the softest fur and the sweetest blood," Asher let out a bone chilling laugh as his left hand fell to the husky's side and he slowly felt the female's curves even if they were under the armor. He brought the dagger to his mouth and his tongue ever so slightly licked the drop of blood off the blade.

"What does he mean by a SPW Tanya," I inquired in a sturdy tone, I did not draw my weapon for fear of Asher's reaction.

Asher was about to reply but he was cut off by a unknown force. I watched as green tentacles forced there way around the man's body and in a few seconds he was paralyzed. One of the vines carefully took the dagger away from Sakura's throat and in a few seconds she was free and she ran towards the comfort of her teammates. The tentacles unraveled themselves from Grim's body and they crawled back to their master. I looked behind the merc and saw Kaiser standing there, the vines going back to that original claw like form.

Saw looked at Asher and he walked by us but the Major grabbed Kaiser and stopped him for a second.

"Thanks for helping us back there, we really appreciate it," Tanya said calmly as her scythe chimed back in place under her right wrist.

"The troops are waiting for us at the villages border and I came back to see what was holding you four up. It turns out one of you must have really pissed off my comrade and you should be thankful that I came back. Grim could have easily killed the kid and maybe you two as well," Kaiser gave us a firm look and then walked off swiftly.

"I doubt he would up much of a fight if he faced me," the Major yelled quite loudly as she motioned for us to follow suit.

Saw turned around and looked at us for a second, to him we were just kids, but we were just as strong as he was. We were dedicated in making Lord Thanos happy because he had chosen us to fight in his name. I was not going to let him down and neither were my comrades.

"Now, there is a interesting statement comrade. Watch out I may hold you to it," Kaiser smiled at us and then left us in his tracks. The three of us shrugged it off and we dashed ahead, not knowing what the battles outcome would be for any of us.

**((First of all big shout out to me editor... you know who you are. XD Anyway I posted this chapter ahead of time so sorry about that. To all readers, I will be gone for the next two weeks on a spirtual journey at my cottage. Expect lots of updates when you get back. If you can't get enough of my writing take a look at my profile and you will see a section about a place called Krystals Forum. If you take a look there you find my other series about Star Fox though it is not really up to this standard. See you all when I get back!))**


	7. Chapter 6

_Oh but I do_

_I know how it feels to look down on them_

_They are like ants_

_That needs to be squashed_

_Flying Beauty_

**Chapter 6**

Oh what a grand sight Saperstein was to my eyes, I was really excited about the upcoming battle that waiting on top of the hill was just killing me. Seriously I wanted to fly so badly again, to taste the blood of my enemy and to savor every drop. After the last battle I never wanted to taste my own blood again, in some strange way it did not taste as good as my foes. I thought at least mine would taste some what sweet, but it actually quite bland and I nearly gagged at the taste. Oh well that was the past but speaking of history, I really, really hope I get to fight that Amazon again. That woman was so powerful being tacked by her felt like being trampled on a herd of rhino's. Plus she carried that mace around, that much have weighed at least a few hundred pounds and on top of that she wore that bulky armor and shield. Though I don't want to be mean or anything but I bet she did not get the same attention as me from the men around her. I mean she smelled worse then Asher and that's saying something. Her teeth were more like knives if you ask me; I bet she eats her enemy's skin too. Someone so rugged like that, definitely can't find love; I mean who could love a beast like that? Well, maybe Asher, but that's because is as gross and filthy as she is. Actually they are perfect for each other; I will have to introduce him to her during the battle, as long as no one else kills her first. I asked Tanya if I could lead the charge yet she declined, well I won't listen to her or anyone. That woman is my kill, she will allow me to fly again, and I will not let anyone interfere with that.

"Ma'am, we have surrounded the village and all our soldiers are in position," the Lieutenant said coolly as he gave Tanya a firm salute.

"You can stand down Lieutenant. Has Darius been confirmed in the village?" the vixen asked. I could clearly see the tension of Tanya's face; she really wanted to get revenge on this guy, since he escaped last time.

"Lord Thanos's spy network has confirmed that Lord Waterzone is in the village as well as his two comrades from Bittertower," the soldier was cut short by my energetic and unexpected thrill. They both looked at me and Tanya directed the soldier back to his post and told him to be on standby for her command.

"What's wrong Sakura, you seem a bit too excited if you ask me," the Major said soundly as her eyes scanned the village.

"I'm just happy that I get another chance to kill that Doberman," I giggled slightly and thrust my right arm forward pointing towards Saperstein, my wrist blade thrust out by accident and looked at the Major with a smile. She shook her head and walked towards the Masked Martyrs. I skipped along to Violet's position which was along a small cliff a small distance away from our party. Unlike me or Tanya, the female lupine was going to assist from this point. She had her tripod set up with her DMR rifle on top of that. Violet was already in position, lying on her belly, adjusting the scope of her rifle so she could get a better view of the area. I climbed down beside her and looked at the village myself. I must admit it was a pretty simple little town; this province outside of the capital city was mainly farming and fishing zones. They were made up of timber houses built along a few streets. There was probably no trace of modern day equipment in the town at all, but I bet they all had weapons of some sort. But it was in towns like Saperstein where most of the rebel support came from. Unlike some of the lords and barons that primarily supported the rebellion, it was the commoners supported people like Darius. The DA restricted outside sources, so barely any spaceships come into port and if they did well they had to go through a lot of security. Thanos once told me that all the Cornerian bastards cared about was Fortuna's resources and not the actual people. Still I hope one day I could explore Lylat with my comrades, who knows, maybe we will become famous mercenaries and my knight in shining armor will whisk me off my feet.

"Sakura, you were daydreaming again comrade," Violet said softly as she moved her rifle slightly.

"Oh I was, well that was childish of me, I hope I did not saying anything embarrassing," I fingered my ponytail and let out a small giggle.

"I was minding my own business but you said something about Thanos along the lines of marriage," the female lupine grinned at me before returning to her post.

I got up quickly and laughed to try and cover my comrades finding.

"You won't tell anyone will you Violet?" I said suddenly as I looked down at my feet kicking a small stone near me, it went flying over the cliff's edge.

"Your secret is safe with me comrade," the lupine said coolly as I skipped back towards Tanya. Well I hope Violet has fun, all though I don't see the thrill in a kill that far away. As I approached the Major she was surrounded by the Masked Martyrs, apparently they were making some commotion.

"Look, you have no right to order any of these men they are all under my command," Saw said boldly as he pointed at the nearest soldier.

"Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't this a joint operation and, unless my memory is not what it use to me then I believe we are the same rank," Tanya said boldly as she waved a hand forward. Saw grumbled saying something about female pressure before the three of them headed down the hill.

"What was that all about?" I asked firmly as Tanya led me down the hill.

"It doesn't matter; the assault is beginning now, squadrons one through ten are moving in as we speak. We expect minimal resistance, but incase something happens our objective which is shared with the Masked Martyrs is to eliminate Darius. Now come on let's go get us some kills," the Major said with a cracked a smile and then it began.

The soldier quietly made their way forward, past some of the outer houses; they used silenced rounds, we wanted to keep the element of surprise for as long as possible. The DA's troops looked very similar to me, except their armor was a bit more complex and they lacked the headgear. There arsenal was quite modern and usually each soldier carried a MP5, a Wolfram PPK, a few hand grenades and a trench knife. In these conditions the kills needed to be quick, much to my disliking, I couldn't even enjoy the real thrill of taking a life. So when Tanya sent me to dispatch of some villagers in the next house I sadly obliged.

I made my way forward slowly, every step being a possible flaw in my attack, but for someone like me who learned how to dance in every strike, I made not a sound. Luckily for me this hut had a back door, all though it looked it was about to fall of its hinges. My wrist blade emerged from its socket, the metal blade easing the door further and further so I could slip inside without a trace. There was just one villager inside, an old hermit to be exact. He wore commoner clothes, which I would never be caught dead in. Fur was not as popular as these people think or maybe this was the current craze here. I would have to take a look at my other victims to see if they were wearing fur too. The old man was sweeping up in the corner so I tiptoed towards him, carefully trying to not make any noise. When I was finally in range I thrust my blade into the back of his neck, he did not even have a chance to scream and the metal easily penetrated the flesh. Bits of flesh and blood went everywhere but there was no time to enjoy this kill as the man dropped to the ground. There was no real thrill it just taking someone's life just like that. I had to have the taste of their blood in my mouth, to see that look in their eye. We all have seen that look you know the one, the eyes are a blazing, maybe they think we will take pity on them and spare their lives because were human too. Mercs have no hearts; we thrust them away as soon as we took the job. Though I must admit I rather do enjoy when they look at me like that, sometimes for a second I'll hesitate, then there is a sign of hope in their eyes, but then that emotion is crushed like an annoying fly and I take their life.

I came out of the hut they same way I entered but it seemed that my deed went unnoticed. Both sides seemed to be yelling orders at this moment, looks like the element of surprise had been lost. According to one private one man on the other side had forget to check his weapons silencer. So one little mistake like that and now the village was up in arms. I looked at Tanya, she seemed frustrated that we had to get down and dirty. The vixen checked her com link first and after we both heard Violet's voice in our ears she nodded at me. I squealed loudly and skipped towards the nearest house, now I can finally have some fun, now I can fly again.

"Sakura, remember that if your having any trouble use this com link and I will be there in a flash," Tanya said sternly as I heard mild screams coming from her end.

"Giving the kid some last minute advice," Asher said comically

"What, they have this connection too?" I said loudly, clearly angry that I had to hear Grim's voice pounding my head like a load of bricks, I was already getting a headache.

"Yes all six of us share this connection, don't worry I can back up anyone who's in trouble," Violet said coolly as I heard the sound repulsion sound of her rifle go off.

"That will not be necessary, for my target is Darius, the rest of you can handle these peasants that are in Lord's Thanos's way," Kaiser said boldly on his end. It was quiet on all lines after this. Saw had issued a challenge to us, to see if we had the skill to back up all our talk. He wanted one of us to come out and join in the hunt for Darius.

"Femme Fatale out," the vixen said coldly. I smiled as I made my way forward. Tanya was going to kill Darius, after all he attacked her pride and it didn't help that Lord Thanos expected the Masked Martyrs to finish the job. I don't really prefer those types of jobs; again I don't get to fly when just spending the whole battle fighting one opponent. Here I can really express myself and now it begins, with gun, with steel, with blood.

The village had become a battleground, all though it seems Saperstein had prepared some kind of defense, our forces were dominant. We were better armed, well organized, trained for combat and to top it off we had the numbers. There only advantage being that this was their town so they knew the area well, plus I'm sure Darius had a few tricks of his sleeve. I kicked down a wooden door and made my way inside slowly. The first thing I saw was a family of three huddling in the corner. A tale brown furred vulpine, his wife and their small child. All three of them were quivering with fear as I made my way forward, but I noticed that it was not because of me. They were trying to avoid the gaze of another occupant in the house. First Lieutenant Grim Asher was leaning against the wall; he gave me a nice wide grin as he flipped his knife. I must admit if first impressions were true then I could see why this family was so scared of Asher. This guy was fucking psychopath, he really did relish his kills, just like me, and so I guess were both insane. I let out a bold laugh as I let my TMP fall to my side.

"Asher you stole my kills," I said sweetly as I let out a sigh.

"Well you should have been quicker then that my little butterfly," Grim said manically as he licked his lips. At this point I took note of Asher's three vice's, the man constantly licked his lips, he always seemed to be flipping one of his many blades and he seemed to always be smiling.

"Please, let us go, we not even armed, in fact we did not even know that Darius was here. At least let my wife and child go, they can't harm the DA at all. Have a heart," the vulpine said fearfully. But his wishes went unheard for there were more important things to talk about.

"Ok Asher, since you got here first, I'll give you first pick," I let out a small cry. Damn, looks like I will have to share my meal, oh well this family seems to be adequate for the both of us.

"I hate killing men; they don't scream the same way women do. Plus I think their blood tastes different, not as sweet, but female blood is like honey to me," Asher let a cruel laugh as he walked forward.

"I guess you're not as experienced as I though you were. Men are the best kills because they always beg for their lives. They really are cowards you know, but girls just cry their pretty little eyes out," I said coolly as I raised my TMP at the family. The vulpine was still yelling as it, trying to negotiate with his captors, but this was not his lucky day. If he had gotten anyone else, he probably would have had a swift death, only a few seconds pain. But luck seemed to be on my side today, I'm going to enjoy this as long as possible.

"You're still young, and beautiful," Asher said silently as he stood over the family.

"First of all were practically the same age and second I do not go out with guys who are half metal and are lacking their manhood," I let out a small giggle as I looked down on the family. The vixen had bright yellow fur and was wearing a simple apron around her frilly dress, a house wife's ensemble I guess. She was clutching her young boy near her breast he had the same colour of fur as her mother. The same bright blue eyes too, a rather cute colour, but the deep purple looks so much better on me.

"Please, let us be, your voices sting us like knives, the two of you arguing over us as if were just some dolls for you to play with," the vixen said in a sharp tone as she stared at me.

"I'm sick of hearing your voice woman, let me hear your screams," Asher said in a sick tone as he grabbed the woman with his free hand and attempted to take her away from her husband.

"Please, she's pregnant," the husband said sadly as he hung to their young child.

"Even better, Sakura you can have the kid and his old man," the First Lieutenant smiled at me as he dragged the vixen to one corner of the house. I just smiled and then turned my attention back to the man and his child. He was so frightened, with a look of fear in his face or more specifically his eyes. The man was probably holding his child to tight, but I could see the tears rolling down his cheeks.

"Tell the kid to stay put," I said boldly as I grabbed the father's arm and pointed the TMP at the child. The man silently said a few words to his son and then the child let go and I pulled the man off his son. The kid did obey his father and did not move, he would just watch the show I guess.

Asher had already started I guess, because the woman screamed so loud that my ears were ringing. The husband was holding on to my leg, his face covered in tears as he watched what the soldier did to his wife. The man could not help ease his wife's pain which was slow and excruciating. Grim had pinned the vixen against the wall her hands being supported by two knives through her palms. A pool of red blood had already started to form beneath their feet. All though she was screaming I could not tell if it was because of the pain physically or emotionally. Grim had one of his arms around her neck ever so gently the other holding a nice silver dagger. I could not hear the exact words but it was making the villager sob even more, as Asher started to carve his victim up. He placed the dagger ever so gently against her cheek and slowly made his way down. I saw the vixen cringe as the blade pierced the flesh and drops of blood ran down her chin. The First Lieutenant took the tip of the blade to his mouth and licked the liquid off. His laugh was chilling; he seemed to be truly enjoying this. But what can I truly say, for I was having just as much fun as him.

I kicked the vulpine over to my own corner and leveled my TMP, aiming for his chest. The man was begging for his family's life asking that I should spare his son's life over his. I pulled the trigger ever so slightly and there was a flash of lead. It begins now, as the first drop of blood is spilled. A smile emerged on my face as the vulpine rolled along the floor holding his right knee. Blood was being thrown everywhere and the hut covered in a sea of red. I touched my armor and brought my fingers to my lips and sucked on the man's blood.

"Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!" each syllable more lively then the last as I stepped over the vulpine and pulled him by the scruff of his neck. The man trembled in my hands as tears rolled down his cheeks mixing with his blood.

"Let me fly again!" I said in a heavy tone as I breathed heavily, my breathe penetrated the man's soul as he broke down in front of me. His cries along with his wife's moved me as I hugged the man and licked the blood off his neck. This time I hit his left knee, sending bits of bone, flesh and blood everywhere. I let out a giant's moan as I let the man slip out of my grip and he fell to the floor. I knelt down beside the man and let his blood soak my fur, it felt so good that I let out another war cry and put on a big smile. The vulpine tried to crawl away but I approached on all four's, like a tiger cornering his prey. Before the man could utter another word my wrist blade struck his neck, sending out a wave of red that drenched my face. The man barely moved, his last few seconds of life were spent looking into my deep purple eyes and then his life ended. I gathered him in my arms and put my mouth against his punctured neck. His blood was like nectar to me as I sucked those fragrant juices out of his body. I breathed through my nose slowly at first but then faster until I released his corpse and through my arms in the air as if I reached up to touch God. I licked my lips; funny Asher seems to do it constantly but once in a while can't hurt. My eyes scanned the hut as I walked over to the centre of the building. The place was covered in blood, the couple's boy was completely soaked in the red stuff, and I even saw a piece of flesh hanging on his nose. The boy was in a sort of traumatic coma as he sat there with his head buried under his arms between his knees.

"Get out of here," I said boldly, but the boy did not budge. The fun was already over, the gloves were off and it was back to business. I placed the tip of the TMP against the back of his skull and ended his life. His own blood hit me along with chucks of his brain, but I did not care for this was just one step along my path. I looked over and saw the Asher had finished a while ago and had the nerve to sit in one of the families chairs. Grim was also covered in blood and gave me one of his creepy smiles as he flipped out of his clean knives. My eyes caught sight of the vixen and even though I enjoyed taking peoples lives this was too much even for me. The vixen had been cut so many times that I could hardly recognize her. Her clothes had been torn off revealing even more damage to her body. The tip of her breasts were rosy red and dripping with blood which feel on her feet. She had been stabbed in the lungs, to make her feel like the air was being sucked out of the room as her muscles filled with blood. Her wrists had been cut which made quite a mess around her corpse. Her pool of blood was filled with little chunks of flesh and one site that made ma almost throw up. Asher had done the unthinkable and cut the fetus out of the woman's belly. The fetus's protective sack has been punctured leaving it hanging out of the vixen's chest along with some of her other insides. The underdeveloped child brought a sudden urge to my stomach to throw up as I looked into its tiny eyes. Without even talking to Grim I staggered outside and into the real battlefield.

I looked over my shoulder and saw a villager covered in his blood and others aiming a machine gun at me. I closed my eyes shut and waited for certain death. The man fell in a instant and saw that his skull has been almost crushed by the bullet.

"Sakura get your head back in the game," Violet said coolly

"Sorry, comrade," I said softly as I loaded a fresh clip into my TMP. Asher came running outside to check up on me and we stared at each other for a moment.

"How was that flight," he said mockingly as he flipped a small trench knife. It seems Violet was covering all fields as a villager fell behind Grim. I looked at him and smiled and he returned the gesture and then we both were off looking for our next thrill. I sped along the battlefield killing any enemy that got in my way. The battle was coming to a close and it seems that we had almost defeated all the enemy forces. Most of the remaining villagers were pinned in small clusters and our elite squads were wiping them out with ease.

"Sakura, head right around the next bend and head north to see a few interesting scenes, assist if necessary" the female lupine said softly," I followed my comrades directions changing direction when I needed to until I came upon a very interesting sight, well actually a couple. I must say me and Grim must have been in that hut for a long time because there have been a few fights going on that I would love to get involved in. One of the Masked Martyrs, the one who was gorgeous was fighting my rival from Bittertower. I watched as Carmal and Mace danced each one reacted to the others moves and countered. The First Lieutenant moved like a hawk, even with that rail gun on his back, I guess he did not want to use it right now. The female Doberman on the other hands moved slowly but her shield proved to be a reliable defense against the merc. This looked quite boring to me, so I moved on not even looking back to see Carmal in a few moves set up his rail gun for battle. In the centre of the village was where the real fight was going on. Well Tanya did want another chance well she was getting a pretty good one right now, but I bet she did not like that Saw Kaiser characters fighting right beside her. They before moved in a synchronized pattern attacking that Lord Darius fellow who was proving again to be a formidable opponent. The vulpine had his two red plasma swords in hand and parried as many attacked as he could, and rushed to try and damage either one. But he would meet either the end of Tanya's scythe or Saw's mutant hand that extended just like a whip. Again this was a snore, now where could I find a real thrill fest and then in the distance I saw a lone hut that looked to be intact. It was strange that the building had not been searched yet but closer inspection revealed it was boxed between Mace and Darius. I skipped towards the building, happy that I may get to fly again so soon. There was a cloth rug that acted like a door so in a fatal swoop I sliced the fabric in half and was met with an attack from the inside. I flipped backwards and deflected the simple assault. A female lynx stepped outside and by my standard she seemed to be in horrible shape. Her tan poncho was covered in blood, the females right hand tried to put pressure on the hip wound. Behind the rebel guardian and inside the hut were woman and children by the truck full. They clutched each other carefully, I guess they through that this could be the end.

"This must be my lucky day," I said in a fierce tone as I pointed at the hut behind the lynx.

"You won't be getting anymore thrills today," the rebel said boldly and then I noticed that she was clutching something in her right hand. The lynx hit the red switch on the device and immediately smoke bombs went off all around the village. I couldn't see anything but I hear people running somewhere, anywhere, everywhere.

"Violet give me a visual,"

"The villager are massing towards the eastern block it seems they had hidden transports along the corresponding river. It seems our troops our just as dazed and confused as you are," the female lupine said thoroughly.

"Can you track them?" I said shrewdly

"Darius moves fast he already has most of the villagers onboard and seems to be moving out. I guess when you entered that hut, that lynx must have pulled the switch. My guess was that Darius was distracting the rest of us so those woman and children can make it out," I let out a angry sigh and made my way back to centre of the village. The smoke was starting to clear and I started to make out shapes including a few people rolling on the floor, they screamed and cursed loudly, their fingernails were digging into their skulls, trying to make the pain stop. Tanya stood over all of them; her "eye" had been activated. These unlucky people were now trapped in their worst fears, and it did not take much for the vixen to walk on over to each and every one and with one fellow sweep end their lives. I never saw the thrill in killing people so quickly, I myself liked to get into it myself.

"We failed again," the vixen said to me in a depressed tone as we approached her final victim.

"Stop Major," said a light yet thundering tone and we both looked over our shoulders to see Lord Thanos approach our position on a military jeep, camouflaged in a variety of green shades. I smiled as the vehicle stopped and Whitey-Kun looked over us. To me it felt like I was flying again and I liked it.

**((Well after two weeks here is chapter six. This time instead of what I did in chapter two with split perspectives during the battle I stuck with Sakura throughout the whole chapter. I don't know if that scene between Grim and Sakura was written well, I need to ask a friend of mine but I hope you guys got the point. They both are pretty much insane in their own way. Next chapter will feature Darius again and we will get to know what went down in the village and lets just say people are not very happy.**

**Special Thanks to JVNemesis: Thanks for the support I enjoy reading your comments...**

**Jyrfalcon: Tell me what you think and thanks for the comments we can talk about the current situation soon...))**


	8. Chapter 7

_We are lost because this is not the way _

_For one to live for one to die_

_Love and joy must be the future_

_Yet now they are memories from long ago_

_Masked Marauder_

Chapter 7

Along the Grand River floating downstream was a small convoy of ships. They ranged from small fishing schooners mostly used for catching trout along the river bends to poorly crafted patrol boats that looked like they about to fall apart with their rusted artillery and broken windows. Still in the short amount of time presented to the rebellion they brought together quickly all they could muster in sea power. It wasn't much, but it was just enough for the villagers of Saperstein to escape from the DA's clutches. Onboard the lead ship, looking over the bow was Lord Darius Waterzone, his blood red trench coat swaying amiss the sea air. Approaching the vulpine from behind was his two most trusted lieutenants, the female Doberman known as Mace and the female lynx known as Isabella. Each tried to smile, maybe to relieve the tension that was written over their faces but Darius was not a fool to his own kind of ploy.

"Smiling will not cover up the truth my dear comrades," I said in a quick tone as he turned around to face them. I must admit they both seem rather peeved about what just happened. They should be thanking me for having planned such an elaborate escape route; it was either that or facing the DA's blade. That is something that I will never accept unfortunately even if I must die in the progress, I will never go back to my old ways. Yet here they both are staring into my eyes, trying to read my face, as if they could. If only you two knew, this mask is more then just hiding my past; it is hiding the present and even the future. So you should know by now that there is no point in truly looking into my eyes, for they shall not give up anything, even to you.

"Lord Darius," the Doberman said in a rough tone as she bowed on one knee. I smiled all though neither lady could see it past my copper barrier. This woman who has always held a power position is bending her knee to someone else. This is a true test of loyalty, something that I do take seriously in this kind of business. Trust, is a rare element to find in any man or woman, but it could be the saving grace of the ultimate destruction of someone like me. I looked over and Harris nodded her head slightly, she would not bow to a man in her life again, however I can tell just by that look in her eyes that she still values me as her "master". A pity that not all my followers could be as loyal as these two, if they were then I would be in control of this planet by now. I raised my right hand slightly, indicating that they did not have to be so formal with me and addressing them in a very princely way.

"My Lord, all though we escaped the clutches of the DA or more specifically Femme Fatale and the Masked Martyrs, many of your followers question your, present motive," the lynx paused slightly as the last few syllables rolled off her tongue.

"What do they have to question Miss Harris?" there will always be nonbelievers in a pack like this, but if more people start to question me then I will be back at square one and we can't let that happen. The lynx was cut off by her more bulking partner, even though Mace has been following me for a while, you still can't teach a old dog new tricks, including manner's it seems.

"Your strength is something that they admire, a single beam of light in the centre of a sky of darkness but some weak of heart believe that you are just power hungry. I heard even a few suggesting that if you throw over the DA then you will be the next in line who shall be corrupted power," Mace said boldly as she shifted her eyes towards the river's bowels. I left the DA to rid this planet of Thanos and his gangs of thugs, perhaps these people need a reminder of all that I have accomplished.

"Absolute power corrupts all absolutely," I spoke coolly yet directly and started to walk towards the stern of this vessel, both of my Lieutenant's followed in my shadow. Most of the decks of these sea transports were jam packed with the Saperstein villagers who had escaped the slaughter. I can not estimate how many were killed exactly but there are definitely more females then males here, more old then young, more cowards then courageous, not the best bunch if I do say so myself. I looked into the faces of these poor people who had been stripped of their homes, their possessions and most of all their faith in God. In rebellions like this the faith must be kept up, there must be a sign of hope, or else the people who hold your back will collapse like dominoes and eventually leave you behind. I will not let this happen to me because I'm all these people have and not just these villagers; there are people all over Fortuna who support my effort. I will not let this defeat, become the first domino in my destruction rather it will be the first step to salvation and victory.

"Who here doubts that I can bring peace back to the fields of Fortuna," I yelled with all my might so that our little fleet could here my little request. At first as I looked all around me on one stood up, their eyes drifted to something other then me but then someone did take a stand. A young male canine with thick brown fur stood up before me, his face covered with dirt and blood, his clothes a tattered mess, a veteran of our most recent fight I suppose.

"People of Saperstein, we have taken in Lord Darius under our wing when he down in the gutters. We gave him food, shelter and arms and all we asked that he left without causing any trouble. But no this man who stands before us convinced the villager elders that if he left now then the village would be crushed under the DA's mighty iron hand. They would burn the village down and kill as all for assisting a known terrorist. So I like any other reasonable person was convinced by this shrewd man, that fighting was the only option. We prepared our village for conquest and look what happened, well he was right, and the DA's iron hand did come down against us. The results are that we have no homes and are floating down the Grande River with the man who brought all this pain and suffering upon us. We could have surrendered to the DA, they could have been reasoned with and maybe some of my friends and yours could have been spared instead of slathered for a pointless cause. So I say that we leave this man, who boldly hides behind a mask, why doesn't he show us his face? If he does not trust us with his greatest secret then why should we trust him!" the boy ended his little speech by pointing at me and then he crossed his arms as if waiting for a rebuttal from me. The boats had all gone quiet, except for the sound of metal piercing water. I studied this boy for a moment and then turned my attention to the villagers. All though I could only see the group that lay before my eyes, some of these people were nodding their head in agreement. Well if this boy wants to challenge me for leadership then he might as well just come out and say it. But I think I'm going to play with his mind for a little while, to get these people thinking of what I have to offer.

"Your right boy, I confess, I stayed in your village for my own protection and the results were quote horrendous. But hey since you seem to have all the answers what would you have done in my place. How about this let us pretend that you are the village chief and I'm Lord Thanos, now let this little role play begin," I drew my long sword and slowly walked towards the young canine. I could see the fear emerge on his face as I walked closer and the people in my way quickly moved to the sides. I swung my blade in the air and I heard a cry or two. The people all around use are now intoxicated by this picture, exactly what I want to happen.

"Well I would surrender to you my Lord," the boy bowed his head slightly as if he was relieving the pain written on his face.

"Wrong answer," I said in a bold tone and swung my sword with all my might. The people all around the boats and the canine fell to the floor, his head still intact.

"What kind of game are you playing Darius," the boy said in a quivered tone as he crawled back on all four.

"I thought we were still playing our little game boy, well you surrender, but you admit to housing Darius, a known terrorist. Do you know what the punishment for treason is?" I slowly walked towards him and he tried to get away from me but eventually found his back against the edge of the boat.

"Death to all who support ADA and Darius," I swung my sword one more time and this time the boy had enough. The canine was urinating himself with all those watching, a small puddle forming around his bottom. I slid my sword into my sheath and walked back towards the centre of the boat, with all eyes on me.

"Did you like that little demonstration? Well did you, because I assure you Lord Thanos would have done more then just make you all wet your pants like some sort of craven." I paused for a second and eyed the boy and then carried on.

"You see, I'm the only one who has the courage to stand up to Femme Fatale, to stand up to Lord Thanos and to stand up to the DA and it does the matter who the enemy is for I will not sleep until the people of Fortuna are liberated from oppression," I yelled boldly and drew my sword and held it high. I looked to my right and saw Mace do the same with her own weapon and Isabella also followed my lead with her Ivy blade.

"To freedom," I yelled briskly and the people around my stood up and with either a weapon or their fists and chanted to freedom just as loud as I did.

"To rebellion," this time the people in the other boats also rose to their feet and yelled with all their might.

"To Saperstein," this time the noise level probably could be heard miles away, our voices echoing outwards with the waters ripples. This time I walked towards the bow of the ship and looked into the eyes of my Lieutenants. Mace had a wide grin on her face as if she found this amusing, if only she knew that I was smiling too, at how foolish these people are. Isabella had a stern look on her face, maybe she was not amused that I made the boy wet himself or maybe she considering that there was truth to what he said. As we walked back the lynx spoke first.

"If you keep this act up then pretty soon they will start worshipping you like a God," Isabella said in a cold tone. I heard a hint of sarcasm in her words as well, she may not believe what I'm saying but I will defeat the DA if it is the last thing I do.

"That was quite entertaining my Lord, all though I think we need some more facts to back up your statements," Mace said in a cool tone as she looked towards the horizon.

"You're quite right, both of you, but it looks like we have arrived with time to spare," I said in a triumphant tone as all the boats slowed down and approached what looked to be a rocky cliff. The people of Saperstein looked towards the short with wide eyes as they got a closer look at Mount Basia. The mountain was barely visible from Saperstein and from there it did not look so grand. But since most of these people probably have never even left Saperstein I their lives or even ventured past the forest this was quite a sight for virgin eyes. Basia was one of the tallest mountains on this western hemisphere. All though no one had climbed it yet due to its unpredictable conditions and treacherous terrain that had climbed more then a dozen lives it still had its fair share of visitors. The mountain sat on one bank of the Grande River where its cliffs held the colossal landmark. All the boats headed towards the cliffs and when some of the villagers caught eye of the waves crashing against the side of these geographical titans well more then one person wondered why we were not turning around or at least continuing downstream. But none of the boats led up and they would not because things are not always what they seem. With a smile on my face I eyed the cliffs and then the people of Saperstein were stunned by what they say. The deadly cliffs opened up slightly and a passage was revealed into the inner clockwork of Basia. All the boats followed my craft's lead and they all entered the opening and as we ventured further the villagers caught eye of my little command centre.

Long walkways stretched along a dock system with many Fortunians walking along most of them armed with some kind of weapon mainly rifles. The people were all amazed by the complex that I had put together, the lights strung up revealed the imposing structure. The docks were only one floor in a series of levels constructed out of steel and concrete. Man powered turrets were scattered around Basia as well as artillery. Once my boat docked I led the people out one at a time until everyone was standing on one of the main platforms. I explained how this was my hidden base and from here we were going to launch at attack on the capital city. People cheered as loud as they could, some shot rounds into the air, while others drummed their chests like caveman. After a few explanations including that the housing levels could accommodate everyone comfortably a few of my men led people away in groups towards their own rooms. Basia has been transformed into an indestructible fortress, the DA had no way of finding the location and all the people inside were safe and comfortable. I have to admit that this was one of my greatest ideas for once these people say how rich my resources was no one questioned the idea of storming the capital city. The walkways stretched along the complex, some lead to multiple armory's, housing centers that held most people, storage houses and cellars built into the rock for all the food and a few offices. After issuing a few simple commands and waving the people off, I entered the solar powered elevator with Mace and Isabella. Most of the bases functions were solar powered or some were even hydro powered. Hidden among the fields surrounding Basia were solar panels that collected energy and then through a series of underground stations sent what was collected to the main hub here. In some of the more desolate locations on the Grande River I set up a few small hydro stations and they also provided power.

"Well it looks like were ready," I said boldly as I entered my office that really was more of a bunker. A small oak desk and leather chair was the main pieces of furniture with a few chairs nearby. There were a few file cabinets with various papers and charts and on one wall a hidden camera panel that was also linked to the various security stations. The cameras of course were needed to ensure order and to eliminate any possible signs of mutiny or worse betrayal; you never know when a villager could be a member of the DA in disguise.

"Ready for what?" Isabella asked as she took a seat on one of the chairs.

"For the invasion of the capital city of course," and with that I revealed a map of the capital and from that office I gather my forces. I have to admit this will be a bold plan but with the help of all these loyal people, I will break the DA's spine and with that victory I can begin my true conquest.

**((Ok so thats chapter 7, not as exciting as chapter 6 but it gives you a bit more insight into Darius and his rebellion. **

**Next chapter we will return to Femme Fatale and friends all though brace yourselves it wil be told in a new perspective who will it be?**

**Also check out my bio because for now on every chapter I add means a new profile this time it is Darius...**

**Comments appreciated, hope you enjoyed this installment!))**


	9. Chapter 8

((Well here is chapter 8 and let me say that this was one of finest chapters to date. A new perspective like I said before and a lot of answers to your questions.

Edit picture Kaiser as 6 feet instead of 5'4 I realized that was a big mistake))

How the mighty have fallen

How the weak have risen

To this day one still questions

The events that molded the present

Confused Veteran

Chapter 8

At this point in my journey I have truly experienced many things that have me the man I am today. But nothing could have prepared me for what happened a few years ago. All though I was soldier of the DA's arms, I took pride in the fact that I always trained to be the best. Maybe it was something inside me that told me to push as hard as I can, a force like no other. It was if my soul was calling out to me beckoning me to take the bull by its horns. With that in mind I did jump on the opportunity when it presented itself to me in all its glory. Lord Thanos Dublin, one of the founders of the DA was searching the ranks of his personal army to find suitable hosts for his next great ambition. I never did figure out, nor did I try to discover what made me so special. But the white robed vulpine choose me and a few others for his unique project that he said would change the face of Fortuna and someday the rest of Lylat. At that time I had no idea what he meant by those words and still today I ponder what those words meant. The genetic testing was classified beyond levels I think Thanos even understood. The lab was underground in a very remote part of the Gralo forest. Thanos called it the SPW project, though he never took the time to explain exactly what he meant. I assumed it was some kind of genetic alterations, sort of like an elite kind of steroid except it did more then just give you massive muscles. What ever kind of drug my Lord was testing it seemed to have severe side effects on many of my colleagues, some ended up dead in the process. The mutations proved to be a reoccurring feature, the skin of the subject eventually greyed, their body seemed to grow out of it's human shape and into God knows what. Even some of the subjects grew mentally unstable, but most died before this point. I had no idea what I was in for; I wanted to call it quits at many point but something kept my mouth shut. It was as if someone whispered in my ear every night, telling me everything was going to be all right. It's funny how things turn out because in the end the experiment was a success. Thanos turned out to be very happy with the results, he called me the first homemade SPW, and he laughed at that quip. The effects of the experiment molded in to something that only my Lord could find beautiful. My fur turned this moldy green colour, my right hand became this mutated mold of vines and plants, my eyes turned black and a pitch black scar that ran down my back twisting and turning that was around twenty-five centimeters long and a few centimeters wide at some point. I am Major Saw Kaiser, leader of the Masked Martyrs and the first successful SPW.

"Comrade, don't tell me you're sleeping on the job. You wouldn't want to be waking up with a knife against your throat," the bold voice said in a sick tone as I slowly opened my eyes to make out the figure. Of course that choice of words should have given away the man immediately. Only Grim Asher could enjoy killing at such a low level, he was a man of no morals, but in terms of skills he was probably one of the best mercenaries in the DA because of that. The First Lieutenant gave me a wicked smile as me eyes opened fully and I pushed him out of my breathing room. I got up from where I was sitting and took a quick look around to get my bearings right. Our team was in the middle of the forest and it looks like we were settling down for the night, only a few embers of the fire remained. I must have been exhausted from earlier events as I tried to remember what exactly happened the night before.

As the memories came rushing into my head I suddenly had a spike of adrenaline and a rush of anger as I swung my right hand wildly. The tree nearby never had a chance as the bioarm cut through the trunk like butter. Asher looked at me with contemptuous eyes, cold eyes, and a psychopath's eye. His wide grin accompanied with the constant flipping of one of his many knives and the obsession of licking his lips were all traits of the Masked Martyr. Sometimes I wonder how long it would take before I became just like him. I pondered that point for a second but was interrupted by a few new voices. I had not even noticed my other fellow Martyr a few feet away from me, Carmel was just that kind of guy. In fact he did not even have a look of a merc, a face that did not show fatigue or scars but instead a bewitching look. Woman fell for this kind of man, unlike someone like me who probably never get a second glance ever again. This was the price I guess for a soldier like me. But Carmel was different because in reality under that caramel hair laid a man who had been twisted by God. After the intensity training he went through, he became the perfect killing machine, for his only objective was the mission. I sometimes wondered if the panther had any trace of man left in him, or had he become another tool of the DA?

"Some of us are trying to sleep you know," Pikolet said in an annoyed tone as he grabbed one of his moon blades. I guess he was not going back to sleep, probably going to train some more or maybe look at some more stars. Of course he did not tell neither I nor Grim about his secret trips in the middle of the night. I followed him once and found out about his little late night habit. The First Lieutenant did not even catch me tailing him, but maybe I'm just not as diligent as him. Still it makes me smile to think that there is still a small trace left of his soul that has remained pure.

"Sorry, I had a horrible nightmare," I lied all though I do not think anyone caught it. It would not be very good if I brought up what happened yesterday but a few things were starting to come back.

"What the hell is going on here, late night gardening perhaps?" the red furred husky asked in a funny tone. I looked over and recognized the attractive curves of Butterfly Sakura, the immature yet insane member of Femme Fatale. I saw some of her work personal work at Saperstein, the only thing I wondered was which one was worse, her or Grim? Still she was quite a sweet girl, a bit oblivious of the current events but rather reliable in battle, or so I've been told. Personally she wasn't time, not because of her looks but because she was unpredictable. I wonder if she got such a thrill in killing people then what would her reaction be in bed. She smiles when the covers are thrown over and a nice serving of death for breakfast I imagine. I shivered at that thought and then my attention back to the situation at hand.

"Like I said, just a little dream gone sour," I walked over to the fallen tree and examined my work.

"Sounds like the Major's work," the female lupine said in a bold tone as she slipped into my view. Violet was another member of the Femme Fatale trio and just as deadly as the other two all though I believe she is the only one not on the deep end. She was cute I guess, all though she nothing compared to her other colleague. Definitely a mystery to look into, a past surrounded by shadows, a knight in shining in armor named Thanos. That last detail seems to come up in everyone's back story here. A silent and efficient killer and judging by her lack of emotion went through the same kind of drilling as Carmel. She only seems to open up to her fellow teammates I believe for the last few weeks we have started to grow on her. It's like my Lord gathered the most fucked up people on Fortuna and placed them together in the same brigade. At least we can tolerate each other's company, if someone normal belonged to this little unit; they probably would have had a mental by now.

"I doubt she could put me through anything that I haven't already experienced. That reminds me, where is your distinguished leader tonight? I would like to have a word with her," I looked into the female lupines hazel eyes, they had the same look as Carmel's, maybe that why they both shared star gazing as a hobby.

"The Major is having a midnight jog, but you may visit if that is your wish," Violet said in an unconcerned tone as she turned her attention to the light up sky. I looked up myself and for a few seconds I was intoxicated by the stars beauty, as if they took someone's fears and doubts away. But that was just like drug, it cannot last forever, but maybe someone like Violet or Carmel relished this time of comfort.

"Please direct me to her location then," I replied in an unmoved tone as I stepped forward towards her. The female lupine did not even look my way she just pointed with her left hand towards the path. I thanked her with a slight nod and headed down the path all though I could barely see three feet ahead of me. I brought my flashlight out and shined it on the distance, looking for shadows. You never know if a gorilla band of rebels will step out of the darkness and shoot you through of holes. I continued to follow the path and as I did the events of yesterday started to come back.

It seems we had failed our mission to eliminate Lord Darius and even our constellation prize of destroying the whole village was not enough. That little trick with the smoke bombs was pretty inventive and using himself as bait to lure the best of us forward was straight out of the art of war. Even though he had this little back up plan still the fight with me and Tanya should have done him in. Yet the vulpine proved to be a handful for the both of us, he lead the dance from start to finish. Damn him for leading us on like that as if we were his puppets and he was the puppeteer. His swordplay was exquisite, his weapon an extension of his hand and that unwavering calmness he exerted. That mask, that copper plate, does it intimidate the DA that much? Is that face of ADA? He is a man who can not even reveal his true intentions to his own men. This will bring him down eventually yet I could say the same about Lord Thanos. I don't even know what a SPW is; you think I should know at least what kind of man I've become. Speaking of my Lord he seemed to arrive right when the battle has ended yet he still had a smile on his face. No one saw him drag the villager into the hut, but it was quiet, an eerie silence that made any man wary of his surroundings. My Lord returned us a few minutes later and commented on Darius nonchalance.

"He sacrifices his pawns and allows the more powerful pieces to escape, a brilliant move. The survivors he left behind don't know anything about our foe. Yet here is escaping our grasp twice now and twice he has outsmarted us," our Lord had a cold voice yet he kept that upbeat tone going. After our Lord discussed the current situation with some of the leading officers and both of his personal mercenary teams he motioned me to come over. My teammates laughed at me jokingly, Asher even said I was about to be promoted. If only he was right, yet as I walked I could feel two eyes burning a hole through the back of my skull. I looked back and saw Tanya staring at me with her normal eye, her other "eye" had already hidden under the lime green hair. The look on her face didn't help matters either; I will have to watch out for the vixen.

"Major, do you know why I sent you to Femme Fatale's base?" the vulpine asked in a calm tone as we walked ahead of the main entourage. Well we had already discussed this matter so the answer was quite simple.

"To investigate Major Tanya Mikiliavitch about her SPW and the possible malfunction of it," I replied in a cool tone as I looked on. The vulpine's expression did not change at all, damn he was one cool customer.

"Darius, stabbed her in the eye, yet she lives comrade," my Lord paused for a second and looked at me as if I knew the million dollar answer.

"What does that have to do with the status of the SPW, my Lord," as I finished the statement Thanos stopped for a moment and I felt his fingers trace the black scar running down my back.

"You will have to figure that out for yourself Saw. I would like you to go a step further then our rebellious foe if you know what I'm getting at," the vulpine looked at me with contempt and then started to walk back his wooden sandals making barely making any noise. I couldn't get a read during the conversation at all, his only eye proved to be the door that blocked my access to his thoughts. My Lord beckoned me to investigate further as if he already knew the results and he just wanted me to tread water. What answers would I find by attacking the vixen? Well there was going to only be one way to find out and had to be tonight.

"What are you doing here, Major," the vixen sat on a flat rock and looked to be polishing her scythe as she interrupted my daydreaming. I stepped forward now realizing why I came to find her, if I was going to make any progress I would have to play the game smoothly.

"Sight seeing actually," I said mockingly as my eyes drifted towards Tanya's chest.

"I assure you Major, if you're here to pleasure yourself well I believe Sakura can fulfill that requirement," the vixen scowled near the end as if she was daring me to step forward.

"I never knew she was loose," I smiled at her as I took another step forward; she wanted me to deep down.

"She isn't but I'm sure someone like her would appreciate a man's eyes looking down her chest," the Major said in a flat tone as she jumped down from the rock. Maybe but you're the one making idle threats right now, lets see how far I could take this.

"You smell like death," I licked my lips the way Asher did and it seemed to have a grim effect on Tanya. All though it would be hard to spot something like that with her she game a shy smile.

"That the first thing I noticed about you as well, you smell just like me," the vixen put her arms around me slowly. It seems that maybe she desired love from someone like me, yet what kind of people are we actually? I don't even think she knows which makes it even more enticing to figure out the truth. I replied by letting the chainsaw still slung on my left arm fall to the ground and placed me hands on her hips slowly descending downwards. Her body was rigid and her uniform was tattered so badly that my hands sometimes went over cold clumps of flesh. Her head rusted on my shoulder her cold breathe tickled my ear slightly.

"So why are you here really?" the vixen said in an intimidating tone as she placed her hands on top of mine and took a small step back. It seems she plays the same style game as me; we both want answers yet only one of us was going to get them on this faithful night.

"The stars are quite beautiful tonight," the vixen said boldly as her hands tightened their grip around mine. For an instant I my eyes wavered and looked up at the nights sky. For some reason her voice beckoned me to and for that split second where I lost my composure the vixen struck. Her right hand flashed brilliantly and like a shooting star the scythe edge pressed against my flesh. The metal sliced through my neck so easily, allowing a fountain of blood to erupt. I fell to the ground and the life quickly left my dark eyes until all went black.

"One should never test a black widow unless they want to be eaten," the vixen said boldly as she smiled slightly and kicked my chainsaw away. She looked over my corpse possibly laughing under her breathe and as the pool of blood expanded this was when Tanya realized that she made a mistake. In a swift motion she turned my body over and ripped the cloak off my back. The Major took a step back as her eye caught the image if of the long twisting black scar on my back. Her left hand went over her left eye as if she trying to hold some force back. The vixen had to finish the job and she swung the weapon with all her might. I rolled out of the way and Tanya yet out a small cry as one of my fingers extended and went through her hand and entered her "eye".

A black light started to glow outwards coming out of the punctured "eye" until it swallowed me whole and this time all went dark.

My eyes opened slowly adjusting to the darkness that surrounded me. I had no idea what happened but last I checked I believe I killed the vixen. I checked my body for injuries and immediately my right hand went for my neck expecting a long cut across the flesh but to my surprise it was gone. I looked around and noticed in the center that there was natural light coming in from somewhere.

"Where the Hell am I," I yelled at the top of my lungs, all though my words just echoed back and forth.

"Mr. Kaiser you're in my world now," I turned around expecting to face someone, my chainsaw pointed to the empty darkness.

"I have no time for your bullshit," I replied angrily as my right hand whipped forward slicing through the air.

"But we have all the time in the world Mr. Kaiser, here have a seat," the voice said in a clean tone. Before I could respond a heavenly force threw through the air and I landed softly on a chair. The small space had two leather chairs facing each other with a small coffee table completing the space. A small ashtray was in the opposite corner and two crystal glasses were placed side by side with a bottle of God knows between them. I turned my head to see who had pushed me and when my gaze returned to the leather chair in front of me my eyes froze. Sitting down in the leather chair ahead of me was a tall dark skinned vulpine. He had dark brown fur almost black and his short black hair was greased back. The man's eyes were pure black just like mine, his face was nicely shaped when a smile emerged or maybe it was more like a grin. The vulpine wore the finest tuxedo; the black coat went nicely with his complexion and the white cotton shirt under it. Yet how could someone of the military truly judge fashion? Well maybe Sakura would argue that but then again here I was looking at this vulpine dressed in a tuxedo, the only thing missing was a tie. In his right hand he held a cigarette and slowly brought it to his lips and with a breathe the smoke drifted towards me. I coughed for a moment and then suddenly everything started to move like clockwork. What was the name that the all the villagers called Tanya?

"You're the nightmare man," I stood and pointed at the man but he showed not a care in the world as he poured the dark liquid into one of the glasses.

"How do you like your brandy?" the man asked in a silky tone as he poured a drink for me and slid the glass with his free hand. I had no response for him, for I knew that deep down this man was something beyond anything one could ever think about.

"How about you sit down and have a drink and we talk like normal folks do," he pressed the alcohol on and I looked at it carefully. I sat down slowly and brought the glass to the tip of my mouth. The nightmare man was acting like a gentleman, with this kind of setup. He waved his cigarette entrenched hand at me as I took a swig of the alcohol.

"I prefer the abridged version so call me NM," the man said in a polite tone as he took another puff of his cigarette. The tension was killing me I had to get some answers or else I was going to lose it.

"Is this a dream?" I asked swiftly.

"Please, can't you think of something less cliché," the man's words stung yet I pushed on.

"What is a SPW?" I said in a bold tone as I placed the empty glass on the table.

"Now there's a real interesting question," NM paused as he filled my glass.

"A SPW or a Soul Powered Weapon is what I am and what you are my friend," the vulpine said coolly as he leaned back. I absorbed the information but this was not enough for me.

"Tell me more, please," I said in an enlightened tone as I took another swig of my brandy.

"SPW's have a few common traits like we all have a black spot located somewhere on the body. This is our soul, the essence of life and death. If you noticed with Tanya or even yourself SPW's cannot be killed by normal means. Our bodies are just hosts to these souls, so if the soul is destroyed then the host will also die. Their bodies are usually disintegrating in one way or another, like grey skin or a putrid smell coming off of their body. Saw Kaiser you're a smart man you should be able to piece the rest of the puzzle together," the gentleman said smoothly as he sipped his drink. I frowned at his response and slowly I spoke my thoughts.

"So you're Tanya's true SPW and you supply the nightmare eye ability," I said smoothly.

"Which means when Darius stabbed her in the "eye" the reason she did not die was because her true soul was not attacked," I said coolly as I processed the information and stood up in the process.

"So that means I'm a SPW as well, or at least one that Thanos created," I said silently as I downed the rest of the brandy in my glass. NM glanced at me as is he was annoyed by my last statement as he took another puff of his cigarette.

"Thanos, he is a rather cunning creature. Now where did you think he got the DNA to create you," the vulpine said in a cunning tone. I played with his answer for a minute and then finally it all started to come together.

"So my Lord took your DNA and injected it into all those subjects hoping to make a SPW like me. I guess those experiments started earlier with Grim and Carmel, he really wanted to make a super soldier," I knocked the bottle of brandy onto the floor with a thick of my wrist. Thanos, why don't you tell me the truth? What are you hiding from me? What mask do you hide behind?

"Those are all interesting questions Mr. Kaiser," the vulpine said quietly as he smashed the cig against the ashtray.

"You can read my mind," I stood up quickly and eyed the beast.

"This is my world and I will not let you or Thanos disturb it," NM rose to as if knew what I was going to do next. As my eyes scanned the area they were caught on an image that I had never seen before. NM's right palm had a chain coming out of it and leading towards the darkness. I pushed past him and followed the black chain to its source. When I finally saw the true face that NM was hiding I could not help but take a step back. For once there was no response to what I laid my eyes on. There in front of me was a vixen, naked, with long flowing lime green hair.

"Tanya, can you hear me," I said quietly as my knees went out and I fell to the ground. When I brought her chin up I saw the black chain protruding out of her neck. So she is trapped by NM, unable to escape from his grasp. That must be why she does not realize that her "eye" is truly controlling her. Thanos, he kept this secret from her and if she finds out the truth…

"Then I may be out of a job," NM said in a cruel tone as he stepped over me. He pulled the vixen towards him by her hair, but she did not even let out a cry. I wanted to yell at him as he threw her away as if she was just an old toy.

"My Lord may have his own fair share of secrets and lies but he did tell me one truth and that was to kill you," I swung m chainsaw at the vulpine but a touch of his finger he parried the attack.

"Tell Thanos I said hi," the vulpine smiled and with just a simple flick of his wrist I was wiped backwards. My hand flew out as if I was trying to reach the vixen beckoning her to take my hand.

"Tanya!" I yelled and then all went black again.

((NM is about the same height as Saw incase you guys were wondering. Well this is what I call the secondary plot development chapter. So yes to everyone who was wondering SPW means Soul Powered Weapon. There were a few easter eggs in the chapter hinting towards the future so I wonder if anyone caught those as well. By the way NM can't physically control Tanya just some of the nightmare eye abilites. So tell what you think of him as well. Actually tell me what think of everything that happened. Hope you enjoyed it! Next chapter will be going back to one of the Femme Fatale members...))


	10. Chapter 9

_Back then I was foolish_

_Back then I was soft_

_To think that everything was perfect_

_Was just a bunch of hogwash_

_Flying Beauty_

Chapter 9

"Mommy look I can fly," the young female husky said in a bubbly tone as she ran down the hall; a white linen sheet flowing behind her. The young girl smiled and giggled as she leapt past every door, her bright pink ponytail jumping up and down as well as her linen pink dress.

"Sakura dear, you should be careful; you know it would break my heart if you got hurt," the girl's mother said in a heightened tone as she saw her daughter run past her. The girls mother had red fur just like her daughter though not as vibrant, she wore a ruby red dress and matching earrings; she had the look of a socialite.

"I'll be careful mommy," the girl said in a playful tone as she flew down the hall towards the main stairwell. Sakara continued down the hall past the maple doors that lead into one room or another. Her hands were flailing widely as she ran past the stairs coated in a ruby red carpet as she looked down upon the foyer. The girl did not watch where she was going and in an instant she slipped on the carpet. It seems everything fell into slow motion as the girl descended towards the fatal fall. Her small arms were stretched out as if she tried to grad something, anything to stop her fall. The mother's screams could be heard in the background as she ran towards her daughter but it was a desperate attempt for she was to far away. It was like time had stopped for a moment as the door at the top of the first floor flew open and a male husky with dark red fur rushed out to grab his daughter. The turmoil lasted only for a moment but the head of the household caught his daughter in his hands, she was hugging him with all her might, the cries of the mother slowly faded in the background. Sakura's mother caught up with the pair as they all embraced in an ever lasting moment. The young girl felt her parent's tears touch her cheeks, they tickled quite a bit.

"Daddy did you see me fly?" the young asked in a passionate tone as her father held her hand and lead her back up the stairs. Sakura looked up at her father, he always had a smile on his face, and he made the girl feel somewhat giddy when looking at her. The man looked quite grand in his white tuxedo and he lit up the room with his smile.

"I saw you fly my little butterfly of joy, but you should not be playing near those stairs you know it is dangerous," the father bend down to her height and slowly took the sheet out of where it was tucked and handed it off to one of the maids.

"Ok Daddy, but you know I love to fly," the girl said passionately as she hugged her father one more time.

"Next time I will take you flying myself personally," the father said coolly as he embraced his daughter.

"Mommy to?" the daughter asked in an exquisite tone as she pointed at her mother.

The man released his daughter and smiled for a moment as he looked at his wife.

"Yes mommy can come to,"

Before anyone could speak another word the room where Sakura's father came from before exploded fiercely sending the three of them flying. Wood, metal, plaster and other bits of debris flew everywhere mostly covering the hall was with a wide range of materials. The room had blackened from the blast; small fires covering the space as well as thick black smoke covered the first floor like an eerie fog. The young mistress tried to move but felt something heavy on top of her. With her free hand the young husky tried to wipe the soot out of her eyes. The first thing that she saw were the closed eyes of her father, a small trickle of blood coming from the tip of his forehead. Sakura slowly made forward, trying not to disturb her father too much. The girl finally got away from the male husky and looked over to her right and found her mother just down the hall. The young girl had no idea what was going on, but she could hear screams coming from all over the mansion.

"Mommy, I'm scared," Sakura said lightly as she rubbed her mothers' shoulders. There was no response no matter how hard the young mistress tried to wake her mother up. Tears streamed down her face falling on her mothers face, but even that would not wake her up. The girl stayed there for another five minutes trying everything she could think of to try and wake her mother up but nothing would work.

"Mommy, why won't you wake up!" the girl yelled loudly as she banged her small fists against her mother's chest. Sakura ran down the hall towards her father, maybe he could help her wake up mommy.

"Daddy, mommy won't wake up," the girl said loudly as she bent down and attempted to wake her father up. But just like with her mother no matter what she did to her father he would not wake up. Unlike all the other times where her parents would coming running to her side every time a tear rolled down her cheek or she screamed when she fell off the swing, but not this time. Sakura just sat there, crying, it seemed to be only the comforting thing to do. Eventually the girl snuggled under her father left arm and amiss a blazing fire and willowing smoke she fell asleep.

"We got a live one here, sir," a man's voice broke through the dream Sakura was having. She was flying again; her parents were holding her hands and leading her through the park. Everything was perfect, but as her eyes opened and reality sunk it she realized what had happened just a while ago. A young vulpine with light grey fur mixed with a bit of white stood over her. He wore a white robe that covered his entire body, wooden sandals and a sword hung on his hip. His deep red eye, long silky white hair and simple smile intoxicated the young girl as he gently pulled her away from her father and held her in his hands.

"Looks like we just got here in time," the vulpine in white said coolly as he held the girl firmly

"Whitey-Kun," the girl said softly and then quickly drifted to sleep in the vulpine's hands.

"Sir what should do about the bodies?" one of the soldiers in white asked passionately

The vulpine looked into the eyes of all his men and replied in the firmest tone possible.

"Dispose of the bodies of course," the vulpine said with a small grin.

The man in white walked away from the scene carrying a girl with a bright ponytail as its only prize.

"What the hell is going on here," Violet said in an angry tone as she reached for her holstered Taurus. When all four of us saw the black light shoot up into the sky like a rocket where Tanya was located we knew something was up. We went to investigate but the two Masked Martyrs, Grim and Carmel accompanied us. Asher insisted that we needed two big strong men to protect us from the dangers of the wild. I answered him by giving him a firm kick in his coin purse. It was a surprise that he did not expect this kind of attack and blow the strike but what blew me away was that I actually made contact with something below the blew. Here I was thinking that his little man got burned off along with his pride. You never know he could have been quite good looking before that accident. That's a rather scary thought, me and Asher, I'd rather not have nightmares thank you very much.

The four of us stood over what looked to be a rather hectic spectacle. Judging by both there positions, Kaiser had tried to attack Tanya. It seemed our all mighty leader put up quite a struggle judging by the wound on Saw's neck. Yah Tanya! But then as I looked at my comrade I could tell she had been hit just as hard. Her left hand had been punctured as if some kind of bug burrowed a hole through the skin or someone had a pretty sharp weapon. I looked and the female lupine and saw the fire burning in her eyes, it seemed she did not take so kindly to someone hurting her friend.

"Sakura, check to see if the Major is alive," the female lupine said boldly as she walked towards Kaiser, her handgun now out of its holster. I struggled for a second as thoughts went through my head at the speed of sound. What had happened here? Is Tanya dead? Why did Saw attack her? What will happen to Femme Fatale? Are the Martyrs secretly assassins working for Darius? So many questions went through my head yet I could not answer any of them. The lupine interrupted my thoughts as her voice brought some light through my clouded vision.

"Hey comrade, get your head out of the clouds now," I jumped at the sudden burst of emotion. I have never heard Violet talk with such a bold tone. She has always been so calm, so level headed and no was like a raging storm. I followed her orders and went over to where Tanya was on the ground. Her scythe must have fallen out of her hand, there was still dried up drops of blood on the tip. I removed one of my gloves and put my free hand against her neck to check for a pulse. Her grey skin was so cold, so damp, and such a putrid smell came off it that my nose wriggled in pain. Under this immense pressure my fingers felt a small jolt flow through them. A big smile emerged on my face as I jumped up for joy. I did not understand how somehow Tanya had survived such an injury. It was at this point that I noticed that her lime green hair had a hole right in the center about the same size as the left's hand's injury. What was Saw trying to accomplish by attacking the "eye"? Didn't Darius try the exact same thing at Bittertower? But he failed, just like Saw did, because no one can defeat our leader. Sure we may be at each others throat but I love her like a sister. Sometimes when I'm around her and Violet the urge to fly vanishes just like the morning sun.

"Hey what's going on?" I said in a suspicious tone as I saw the scene unfold in front of my eyes. Violet had walked over to where Kaiser had been located and checked him over. She must have found a pulse as well since she stepped back and pointed the tip of her gun at the Major's skull. I don't think either of us saw Asher come from behind and within seconds he parried the attack with one of his knives by throwing it. The flat ended throwing knife knocked the handgun out of Violet's hand. She turned around to run for here gun but was knocked to the ground by the Martyr. It was at this point that I felt the steel against me neck and turned to face Carmel Pikolet.

"Personally I have nothing against you First Lieutenant Butterfly Sakura; you are quite a beautiful sight to behold. But, this is strictly business and I cannot allow you two to harm my comrade," the caramel furred panther raised his moon blades in an offensive pose. Without hesitating I drew my TMP with my left hand the right poised for battle as the wrist blade extended forward.

"Everyone back down now!" a voice from the shadows said boldly. I looked out towards the outer rim of the open area and saw Lord Thanos step forward. His silky white hair bounced ever so slightly as he walked towards us. Without even saying another word he put his hands on me and Carmel's weapons and we immediately sheathed them. The vulpine seemed to have that kind of effect on everyone. It was as if we forgot everything we were fighting over. Was this was brought him to power? Was this uncanny ability of winning a battle before it even started so legendary that people feared him across Fortuna? Did I fear him?

Lord Dublin bent down and took Tanya in his hands as if she was as light as a feather. His red eye gazed down upon his other two mercenaries still battling out as if they did not heed his warning. Violet was under Asher, attempting to hold back the steel blade that coming closer to her flesh. Grim had a wide grin on his face as she brought down the trench knife inch by inch. My Lord still holding Tanya in his hands walked towards the pair and looked down on them. Violet looked upon his face and it took a few moments for the Masked Martyr to realize who was standing over him. When he turned his head to smile at my Lord he gave him a firm kick in his stomach which sent his flying. The First Lieutenant rolled across the grass until he hit the trunk of a tree just a few meters away. Even in such immense pain he still wore that grin as if it was the only thing keeping him sane. He licked the blood that he had coughed into his hand and slowly made his way back to us.

"Take her," Thanos dropped Tanya in Violet's arms as she got up and walked towards the other Major. My Lord bent down and looked upon his soldier carefully and his hands crept along his back. Saw's eyes opened instantly as if Thanos had touched a nerve or something like that. My Lord rose to his feet and looked at all of us and before any of could speak he made a rather bold announcement.

"Lord Darius is leading an army to the capital city of Sriena, well we better get moving if we hope to catch the bastard," the vulpine said in a rather playful tone as he walked away from us. I looked at Violet and she nodded her head in agreement. This little conflict would have to wait until later to settle. It seems that the Masked Martyrs were still on the DA's side but we all still had questions on our mind. What exactly happened tonight? Why does Lord Thanos seem to know all the answers? How will this conflict end? These questions and more were on my mind as I followed my Lord until the forest and felt urge to fly once more.

**((We are approaching the climax of this little story and I felt it was important to again stress character develpment. All though you all have read through now five different POV's and have a feel for a variety of characters there are still some doubts in my head. Since I revealed so much about the Martyrs last chapters particulary how Saw became one I thought I would so the same with everyone else. So that was Sakura's little flashback and I hope you all enjoyed it because that small section took me a long time to write. Anyway there was no fight, I'm sure some of you wanted one but oh well, maybe next time. **

**Chapter 10 will be in Violet's POV and I added Grim Asher's profile to my bio.))**


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